The Final Judgement
by Resting-Madness
Summary: Sometimes destiny can bond not only friendships, but enemies as well...
1. The Road

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VI nor do I own the plot of it's creation, characters, world, none of that- duh. I'd also like to state that this is just a fan story for fun, so I make no profit off of it.

Commentary: I did this so long ago... I don't remember a thing about it, aside from being happy that I was typing a Final Fantasy VI story. So this will be a first for all of us. I hope it holds up today as it had then. Thank you for reading.

...

"Another day, another lazy afternoon sleeping in a field, aye Locke?" The treasure hunter said to himself. He may think it's a little lazy for someone like him, but this one activity makes him feel...well, rested- almost.

Locke settled into a nice patch of moist grass under a heavily shaded tree, an absolute must- he can still recall the last time he'd forgotten to find one- very painful. One may wonder though why he has so much free time to just sit around and be lazy and care free? Well, after what happened in Kefka's tower wouldn't you?!

The fear of being in that Hell's maze. The fear that it may be the last day of your life. The air was scorching hot, it was so hard to breathe that Locke could actually taste the the decay or rotting mutated animals, and the very flesh of his still living friends. All those levels of floors; fights moving them closer and closer towards doom. But he fought bravely along side his team mates. He fought with everything he had to keep them all safe enough, and alive. He sure misses them. Whereas, they all remembered one another and remained friends, they all had to find lives to live in this post apocalyptic world. It's regeneration, greenery, salvage... is coming along nicely. Soon they may even exist in better times than before, a newly flourished world.

Yup, with Kefka gone life could return to normal. There was no need to fight. There is time to take it easy.

_Whiff!_

"What the?!" Locke bolted upright and looked around... "What was that?" His light brown eyes widen from startle, looking at the bark of the tree behind him, just above his head. There is an arrow stuck deep into the thick trunk of the tree._ 'Who shot it?'_ He wondered.

But there was no time to look back in the direction it came from because another arrow came shooting out of the sky, only this one got closer to the face.

"Whoa!"

A low swear escaped him as he stood up then ran. Normally Locke would stand and fight, but from the look of things that fight would be short lived as he was completely weaponless and the hidden pursuers had a full arsenal, so the odds of him taking anything from them are slim. The hunted ran as fast as he could from a fleet of Chocobo's, whose feet are sounding a lot like a full fledged stampede.

"There's one of them!" A voice called. "There goes one of the Returner scum!"

_'Did he just say Returners?'_ Locke had a brief moment to think as he dashed inside an old shack out in the field, likely used for supplies on a farmer's land. They wouldn't find him in there. He congratulated himself for being fast enough to hide and without being seen. '_At least I hope so.'_ He thought, knocking lightly against the walls of the shack when finished his words, just incase he were wrong; Setzer might be terribly superstitious and believe in luck, but he isn't and doesn't.

Locke Cole would rather not state the obvious, or possess a charm of some kind, that he prayed for and wants a good outcome. Unfortunately attainable luck was real, his just ran out. The loud stomp of feet had come to a halt. His breathing stilled a bit so he could prick his hearing. _'Are they turning around?'_ He wondered.

"In the shack!" A voice cried out.

There was a yelling cry from the other men's voices as they charged for his hiding place. Ten men aimed their arrows and fired through the windows, the blasts of shattered glass were so sudden Locke jumped from surprise.

"Trample the place, he has to come out!"

Hearing that, Locke bolts as fast as he could. However, he wasn't fast enough as the fleet of riders and Chocobos were right on top of him. He started to duck down, to hide in the tall patch of grass for cover to escape them somehow. But it didn't work, and he was knocked to the ground being run over several times, stumbling over this way and tumbling over that way, trying to at least keep his head covered from getting smashed in by the birds' massive pummeling feet. He then had an idea, and lay perfectly still on his stomach.

"Did we get him, general?" A lower position soldier asked.

The men skimmed the field with their eyes and one of them saw Locke lying there with scratches up his arms and neck, along with tattered clothing. There was no way he was alive. No one could have survived it. But...

"Check him." The general ordered. One never knows...

The soldier trotted his bird over to the still body and poked him with the back of an arrow.

_'Wait_ _a_ _minute longer,'_ Locke thought. _'then grab him.'_

"He's out sir. Dead." With that, the general smiled with arrogance of his own commanded triumph.

"Let's get back and tell the boss." He then ordered

_'The boss? Who could that be?'_

As the men began to leave, Locke leaps up from the ground grabbing the guard around the neck; when the soldier tried to yell for help Locke twisted the man's neck, breaking it then he yanked him off his Chocobo. Next, stealing the man's clothes, he climbed on top of the bird and rode himself towards the nearest town. South Figaro.

Tzen.

"Try to move it to the left; one quick sweep of the hand- you can do it." A bearded man said to a very strong younger man.

"Gee Duncan, if I'd of known I'd be doing this type of training I'd of stayed in the castle with his royal highness." Sabin said with a laugh to his martial arts teacher of the ancient forms of the Blitz technique, as he picked up another painting and hung it on the wall.

"How's that?" He asked.

"You learn quickly, but, your skills need sharpening." Duncan said with a smile.

"I'm glad you decided to move here with me, this place has been kinda dull without someone to hang out with, especially after the world came to ruin." The Blitz specialist replied brushing his hands off on his pants, "What needs to go up next?"

"Nothing today my pupil, why don't we go out to the fields and learn some new attacks?" Duncan said walking to the door to leave.

"Alright!" Sabin responded happily, punching the air with his fist, only his reach came a little farther out than he thought causing him to punch a hole in the wall. "Oops," he said lamely.

"You can fix that, while I train, have a good time." He closed the door behind him.

"Rats," he looked at the hole with a sigh and went to get some tools.

Who knew that Duncan was alive, that he'd survived the whole ordeal, hidden away deep inside a mountain pass. Times could sure surprise one.

Mobliz.

Mobliz was filled with new life now, almost as if nothing had ever happened to it. Trees returned to their normal colour of brown instead of greyish, plant life didn't stay brown or weedy in the ground, and there was laughter heard when you came in rather than misery or pain.

Terra walked casually between a crowd of children, about 10 of them, and a few who are a bit older- roughly age 11 to 15, to a little building she was proud to have had built for them.

"Students, come this way!" She called out to them.

The children all followed her inside the building into what appeared to be designed like a schoolhouse.

"Okay, okay, simmer down..." She waited for the chatter to stop and when it quieted she went on with her lesson plan. "There. Today's lesson is on the war of the Magi," Terra said mystically. "Now, who can tell me how the war was started, what were we fighting for?"

A hand was raised and Terra nodded to the little waver. "Yes, Karine?"

"The war was about peace." The tiny girl smiled her answer out and the other kids laughed at her.

"Now, now don't laugh at her answer. She is very much right. a very brave group of heroes and heroins were fighting for nothing but peace to be brought to the world... Who can tell me what that group was called...? Anyone?"

"Gau knows!" A wild little boy raised his hand in the air then jumped up and down.

"Yes, Gau?" The Esper girl asked.

"It was friend Sabin and Cyan-" he continued naming his group of friends off his mental list, and the class laughed at his response, even Terra found it humorous.

"The group was called, the Returners." The teacher informed them receiving 'oooh' and 'aahh' of impress by the sound of it. "They fought for peace and the safety of all Espers and Humanity."

"But that can't be real," a little boy said crossing his arms. "That all sounds fake, you can't just have war..."

"But Billy it's very real, and you should pay attention. You never know when history might repeat itself." Terra remarked, looking absently out the window.

"Miss Terra is telling the truth" Bree said to them.

"How do you know?" The upstart asked, and the rest of her class looked in wonder.

"...Because- because she says so, that's how." The little girl stammered out.

Bree was far too young to remember if it were real or not, but Terra remembered every frightening bit of it. How she found all of these children terrified underground, Phumbaba roaming about the land, it made her skin goosebump and her bones shudder.

It was a scary thing. But it was all over now... So why did she feel the world shifting in its balance? Her thoughts were suddenly broken by the sound of a bell. "School's out! Have a good rest of the day."

The little group of children sprang up and all gave her a hug and left for home. Gau strayed behind keeping close beside the Esper girl; they were living together in Mobliz and she took extra good care of him there. Even though they weren't living together she took extra care of baby Katrina, too. The young couple need her. And in a way, she needs them as well.

"Friend Terra thinks about friends?" Gau asked climbing all over her desk.

"Yes, I miss them." Terra replied.

"Gau too," he slid down and rubbed against her leg as if he were a dog or cat. "We see them again, Gau knows." The boy said happily, Terra smiled down at him.

"I know too..." Her eyes sadden. _'But the reason doesn't feel right.'_ She thought to herself.

It's only been a year and a half... But things are trying to restore to as they were before. In more ways than one, it would seem.

x x x

Commentary: So short. I can't believe that was actually three chapters smooshed together. Oh youth ahaha. I'm gonna continue to put this in, if you like it than thank you. I hope you continue reading, if not then thanks for trying it out even if you don't stick around. It's on a very old site, that just needs to be done with or rebooted but either way. I'd like to save some of my stories from there that are only published there.


	2. And the others

Jidoor:

"Celes, oh Celes my dear," Ompresario called out for the ex-general. "Where are you?" He walked into a room causing a woman in a state of half dressed to scream. "Sorry," closing the door, he continued calling for the ex-general. "Celes?!"

In the dressing room a blonde woman stood up and patted a red head's shoulders, "Good luck."

"Thank you." The woman replied going behind the curtains.

"Celes?"

She heard her name through all the excited murmuring and script practice. "I'm in the dressing room!" She walked over to the door and opened it letting the stout little man barge in.

"I've been looking all over for you, how are the actresses and actors doing on their lines?" The stout man asked in a hurried panic.

"They're doing just fine, Maria is on her way out and ready to sing." Celes salutes with a smile,

"Oh good..." He sidles up to her. "Saaay, _you_ could be in the show, if you twisted my arm right?" Ompresario said trying to coax her into doing it.

Ever since their encounter with the opera house that year ago she had taken an interest in the place- not to be a singer or one of the actresses- the ruined world is already in shambles, nobody needs a part two of her greatest tragedy. But being behind the scenes as make-up, and line prep. However, once in awhile the owner would be trying to get her to star in another one of the shows, but she refuses. "Too many memories" she would always reply.

"Oh well, it was worth a try. Places people, placeees."

She watched him leave the room to conduct the show, as he usually does, and turned back to her work.

"I can't believe you're turning down such a good opportunity." A young voice said behind her.

"Relm, are you finished already?" She asked looking at the little artist from the mirror.

Relm walked over to the vanity mirror and sat down on the top of it. "Yup, Owzer says I'm the fastest and the best painter he's ever known. I even get to be in an art show. He promised that someday I'll have my very own!"

Relm bragged and turned to the mirror grabbing a lip stick off the dresser top, then began to apply it on her lips making them a ruby red. Celes gave her a blotter, then smoothed a few of the strands of hair the sprang from the pins.

"I'm gonna enter a picture of Grandpa Strago in battle, to show how wise and fiercely he'd fought." The little artist admired her reflection with a grin.

"That sounds beautiful, Relm." Celes smiled at her.

Strago wasn't dead, no. But he was in no condition to fight anymore, he is too old his body is weak no matter how hard he tried to fight it. Strago had to remain in bed-care with a house nurse, while Relm came to Jidoor to stay with Celes and while the ex-knight worked at the opera house Relm painted for the well paying, very wealthy Owzer. Doing what she loves and earning enough to care for her grandfather, Relm would do whatever it takes to see that he remains comfortable.

"Wouldn't it be nice" the girl said sweetly but her face was serious, "if Setzer came to the opera house and you were performing?" Watching Celes in the mirror she cocked her brow trying to gauge the neutral expression the question received.

_'It would be nice if_ someone_ came...I miss everyone so much...especially Lo-'_ Celes thought but didn't finish the sentence because Relm's voice had broken her thoughts.

"Isn't it too bad all the bad is gone, and we're getting on with our lives?"

"What a horrible thing to say, _fighting_ is bad." Celes was saying to her.

"Even still... it would be nice if we were all together again, even if the reason was something bad." She turned back to her reflection to put on more make-up.

_'She's right,'_ Celes thought. _'good or bad_ _I would love to see Locke again.'_ She sighed silently and looked at herself in the mirror.

An underground cave in the Veldt.

Roof! Roof!

"What is it Intercepter?"

The dog sniffed at the moist earth and wandered a distance from Shadow, who was barely visible in the darkness of the cave. After the thieves cleared the caves of the Veldt, Shadow had taken refuge down inside of the caves in the deep end so no one would know he is there, and so far no one had found him.

Dark and hidden, coming out only for food, so far life had been going alright. Until today. His trusty companion had sniffed out some tresspassers. He followed the dog until it stopped and when he did, Shadow didn't like what he saw. _'Imperial soldiers... why are they here? What could they be planning?'_

"I say we have a full fledged attack on every village!" One of them shouted pounding his fist on the cave walls.

"I say we send out wanted posters and have them turned in, remember the boss wants them alive." Another one replied, they all began to argue about what to do when a shrill voice came out of the shadows.

"Men, men, please, let's not fight about this. Just find them; there aren't that many villages around here surely they must be hiding in one of them."

"It's the boss," they whispered. "I can't believe he's here."

"But sir, tracking down the Returners hasn't been easy, we killed one of them in the fields- at least we thought we did. As we were returning here we saw that one of our men was gone. We went back to the field to find him, he was lying in the grass bare sir. And dead."

The figure raised an eyebrow.

"We think the Returner may have killed him and is going to get help, soon." The soldiers looked at the shadowy figure wondering what he would say to this news.

The shrill voice had changed into an evil deeper one as he spoke, and Shadow could swear that he recognized it.

_'Is their boss more than one person?'_ The ninja wondered, but put his ear back to the conversation.

"So we had better pick up our pace, I want this land- _all_ of it!" The figure moved closer into the light, his voice was changing back into a shrill one again slowly with every word. "And I will get it."

He laughed from a place of histerics; a place of _madness._ And as the man leaned into the light, Shadow was about just to see his face when everything went black.

A Cave in Narshe.

Kupo! Kupo! "That's right, don't mess it up either." Mog cried out to a giant fur covered creature.

The Yetti growled to himself as he moved a giant-sized potbelly coal burning stove- yet again for his tiny companion.

"It feels like a cold one, fur or not, we need heat."

The moogles let out little cries of agreement to the matter of the winter.

"Funny how-" Umaro, the Yetti grumbled out hardly understandable. "you need a heater when there's heat already outside." He continued to push the coal-burn stove they'd stolen from the village above them, into a corner of the cave.

"Summer doesn't mean a thing." Kupo! The moogle replied. "Now move it! I want everyone warming their hands and toasting their buns by tonight."

With a grunt from the little strength was needed for the big guy to do the task needed, he gestured to it that it was a deed done. The Moogle clan cheered and danced all around.

"Good job, now take a break." Mog ordered to Umaro.

The giant beast walked over to another corner of the cave and sat down for a rest. Things had been going well for the Moogles, and Mog seemed happy enough. However, it was as if something were missing inside that he couldn't put his paw on. Maybe it was the others, but it didn't seem so. He's known them for awhile but they were never embedded into his life so much.

_'So then what is it?'_ He wondered. "I'm going for a walk." Mog announced, leaving the cave going into another of the underground tunnels.

South Figaro.

"How does that taste King Edgar?" A bar maid giggled; she's seated upon the king's lap, as she feeds him some pheasant.

"You know what would make this a lot better?" The beautiful young king replied.

"No, tell me?"

Edgar started to whisper in her ear but it was disrupted by the sound of a battle outside.

"What's that?" She asked getting up. She's used to the sound of a bar fight, but this sounded far more serious than some surly swears and punches thrown with shaky balance and aim.

The king sighed and rose to his feet too. "A king's work is never done, wait here my dear. I shall return."

The bar maiden looked in absolute awe as she watched Edgar stroll out the door of the cafe. When outside, he looked about finding the brawl several feet from the tavern. There are two combatants going at it in the middle of a group of people. Standing on his toes he looked past the crowd of heads and saw that _his_ guards were attacking someone!

The enemy looked like one of Emperor Gestahls soldiers! The soldier grabbed a dirk from a by stander and fought back viciously, though only to defend it seemed, but that was enough of an attack to send Edgar into the fight himself and he began to attack the stranger brutally. His long hard swing threw the fighter off balance as pain rattled through his arms while blocking with such a tiny weapon.

"Edgar, wait!" The soldier shouted over the scream of the crowd and the battle cries of his guards, the king swung his sword over his head and brought it down at the man's arm, but the false soldier blocked it with his tiny borrowed weapon. "It's- whoa. _Me,_ _Locke_!"

"Locke?" Edgar froze from the battle and gestured for his men to do the same, and- though still uneasy about it- they lowered their swords.

"Is that you, really?" Edgar raised the front of the soldier's helmet with his swords tip.

"Of course it's me!" The thief yanked off the helmet completely, tossing it aside. "Hey buddy!"

Edgar broke into a huge grin and they gave each other a very warm, manly hug. The king stepped back to admire his old friend, "Just as ragged as the day I left you, huh?"

"Ha ha, you're still just as rusty as the day I left you-" Mocking the battle that had just went on. "Oh here let me help you... riiiight, more like- hey a cute waitress might be watching."

"Bite your tongue," Edgar felt his face turning red from embarrassment. "I didn't think I'd see you for at least a good years worth of time, what brings you here?"

Locke looked at him seriously. "That's right," He just then remembered why he had come into town. Finding Edgar himself was a stroke of pure luck. "I have to talk to you, and I don't think you're gonna like the news." He stated.

King Figaro sobered up from the happy reunion, and escorted Locke into a private room in the tavern so they can talk.

"You weren't kidding, I don't like the sound of that at all..." Edgar said trailing off as though he may have had more to say.

Locke had just got finished telling Edgar about what happened to him in the field that morning, just on the other side of the mountains. And the more he said, the more grim was King Edgar's expression.

"What are we gonna do about it?" Locke asked looking into his best friend's thoughtful face.

"Where was it exactly that you saw those soldiers?" Edgar asked him, standing and moving to the door, Locke in tow.

"It was by Mt. Kolts; they could be miles from there by now... Are you sure we wanna go find 'em?" The thief asked with a bit of hope that they'd leave it alone- just until they could devise a plan.

"Wouldn't hurt to look," Edgar says before whistling for his guards when he and Locke were outside.

"Yes, Majesty!?" His men shouted, lining up before him and saluting.

"Keep it down; and will you cut that out, it's Edgar when I'm in town. We're going to check out the perimeter of Mt. Kolts. Get the Chocobos ready for the trip."

"Sir, yes sir!" They replied walking into the stables.

Edgar sighed with a smile. "I love being king." The words were meant as sarcasm, but in times like these when he could use the extra help to help a friend, it really wasn't so bad.

X x X

Commentary: Thank you for reading... I think hahaha. By the way this has nothing to do with my other Final Fantasy stories. It's independent from other FF8 stories.


	3. Fight or Flight

A low man-made whistle sounds. "Would you look at that thing." Locke said, admiring the airship. "It's bigger than the last one!"

Setzer replied with a low laugh. "Yeah, she's a beauty... but what are you two doing out here, having a reunion without me, hm?" It was said jokingly.

"Actually," Edgar began, "we're searching the mountain for any left behind clues to a bit of a mystery that's popped up." He ended his sentence by sticking his long sword into the dirt.

"What mystery?" Setzer said looking from one friend to the other.

"Locke thinks that... No. ...What's a better way to say this?" Edgar pondered about it a minute.

"What he's trying to say is that I was attacked by soldiers in the fields around here, not just any soldiers either- recognize _these_?" He tossed the soldier's clothes at him, causing the gambler to jump back from the sudden surprise.

He picked the clothes up off the ground and studied them. "Are these...?" He started, and they both nodded with a simultaneous answer.

"Yeah."

"The Empire..." Edgar said walking back over to the mountain range, trying to stare up to its peak.

"We're climbing that thing?" Setzer followed the king's gaze with his own.

"Yes. I figured we'd let my men lead the way, in case something suspicious _is_ going on up there. We won't be seen, and they won't know where we're going." Edgar said.

"And where might that be?" Setzer asked.

"The Returner hide out. It's a perfect place to hold a meeting. They won't go there looking for us, it's too obvious."

Locke and Setzer nodded to agree.

"Well, what are we waiting for then, let's scale this thing, go through, or _however_ you there." Having never been to the Returner hideout, he doesn't have a clue where they're going, but Setzer started to walk ahead of them towards it. Always up for something to do.

But Edgar stopped him with an arm across his chest.

"One moment." Edgar was saying.

Setzer's brow arched with question.

"I'm glad you're here actually," Edgar began, "because I need you to do something for me?" He gestured for Locke to come over to them and hear as well.

"Sure, anything." Setzer replied not knowing what he may be volunteering for.

"How fast is your ship?" He asked.

"Fastest vessel to ever sail through the sky, may the Blackjack and Falcon rest in peace." He replied.

"Good. I need you to take me into every and any village we see, we have to gather our troops- our... _friends_."

0 0 0

Locke waved them off not bothering to shout goodbye over the roar of the airship's fan blades. They needn't worry about the hideout, Locke is going there with Figaro's soldiers.

Edgar was weary about sending his best friend and his soldiers into the mountains, there is always that off chance the imperial have decided to check their old hideout. He can only pray that if the hideout has been rediscovered, that the enemy has already been and gone from it. He waved until the treasure hunter nothing but a speck. He then stepped away from the railing to join the pilot at the helm.

Mt. Kolts stood before Locke and the soldiers like a great foreboding sentinel. It wanted none to pass and none to enter. The group began to make their way through the cave tunnels, running into a few familiar dangers large and fury and full of teeth or sharpened claws ready to bloody. He had only a large dagger to battle with two Brawlers, but the outcome was successful. He even managed to pick up 100 gold pieces dropped from their stomachs that he'd sliced open. It was a shame when you think about how the gil got there, but the people traveling through the mountains are not always fighters, even at an inexperienced level. So anything on them from jewelry to clothes and money gets eaten up and sits in the monster's stomach until It's removed in one of two ways.

"Wished I'd of come up here more," he was saying to himself . "I'm gonna need a map." He looked from the left to the right, two openings in the cave. _'Which one?'_ He took a chance with the one to his left and it seemed to be the right way, because he recognized a few pathways.

Locke and the palace guards fought more and more monsters the farther in they got to the peak.

_'Does this mean that there's more Empire activity up here?'_ He thought gradually as he looked for the right openings. "Alright, one more cave and we're out..."

They made it through the twist and turns without seeing another monster or creature. They were either none existant in this particular place or someone has cleaned house already. When they were off the mountain, their paces picked up to a sprint across the field to the Returner headquarters.

...

"So, Setzer," Edgar was at small talk since neither had said anything since they left, and the silence was making him a bit antsy. "what have you been up to these past months?"

The pilot becomes so serious when he steering the ship, it was almost un-nerving.

"I've been gambling, of course." He said with a chuckle. "Care for some wine? It's strong. It'll ring the stress right out of you, I think."

"Yes, thank you." He said.

"There's a decanter open downstairs in the curio. Help yourself."

Edgar walked below deck and located the wine. He poured himself a calming glass of red liquid, finishing it in two gulps. Pouring another of the rich relaxer, he fixed another glass for Setzer bringing it to the upper deck.

"Do you really think we'll have to fight again?" Setzer asked out of nowhere. Taking the offering, his sipped it once, leaving it undrank for the time being.

"I don't know. It's too early to say; right now it feels like more of a scare than a cause for any real alarm." Edgar said in a posh manner, sipping his second glass.

"And if there is..?"

"We go to war."

The past war roiled in their memories fading with the end of it, and the beginning of life anew.

"I hope we can find everyone, if that becomes the case." Setzer said as he moved the airship to the ground landing near a clearing beside Narshe. "Mog, is sure to be here." His reasoning was that their Moogle friend would certainly not just up and leave the home he's known for many decades.

They walked below deck and out onto the grassy fields for the cavern town.

Leafer! Edgar swiftly took it out with his sword, and they continued on their way into the hidden cave village. King Figaro held the gambler back before they entered town. "They might have some reward on our heads, in times like these the wrong people will do anything thing for money..."

Edgar wasn't wrong about that. "How will we sneak in then? Do you know another route?"

Edgar led him over to Locke's secret cave entrance. Once he pulled the right rock they stepped inside going directly into the labyrinths. Everything was going smoothly so far, no trouble along the way until a swarm of Were-rats surrounded them! The squeaking deafened as they snapped and swiped at the pair. Setzer waved his left hand over his right wrist to a device that looked like a slot machine watch, he then clapped his hands together unleashing a 7 flush attack. He raised his arms above his head and the area filled with colored beams and took out the ravenous monsters that were already weak from trying to change back into normal animals after Kefka's magic had worn off.

"We're almost there, let's move faster." Edgar hurried their pace. Sheething his blood soaked sword, he had no intention of sticking around fighting more of the quickly re-grouping rats. When they made it to the Moogle caves they surrounded them with foreign greetings.

Kupo-po! Ku-Mamma! Ku-pop!

"Yes, hello," they greeted them.

"Where- is- Mog, do- you- know?" Setzer talked as though they had no clue what he was saying either.

They jumped about, rowdier than before; Umaro rolled his eyes over the Moogles's antics, speaking up.

"Mog left," he roared out. "He did not say to where, went for walk."

Edgar cursed. "...When do you think he'll be back?"

"Umaro, not know. Can I help friends?" The giant beast walked closer showing them that he could do more of a job than Mog's little body could.

"You _can_ help us actually,"

The beast smiled at these words but Edgar had it fade away when he continued with what he had to say. It was very distressing.

"You can help by staying here and protecting the Moogles while should something happen. This is all just suspicion, as of late." Edgar was sure to impress that upon the yetti. "I know you can handle the job." He gave him a seal of a approval smile; and Setzer stood back nodding to whatever to agree.

"Umaro do this favor, for king." He said returning to his corner and sitting down heavily. "Good luck."

"Thank you." Replied the King.

"You wouldn't happen to know where we could find any of the others?" Setzer asked stepping backing to the caves exit.

"Look for in Doma, the knight is bound to be there." He waved them away.

The king and the gambler headed out of the caves, with hardly a bit of trouble. Then they were back in the sky for the next location.

"This does not sound good to me, sirs..." said Cyan stroking his mustache. He was at Doma castle as predicted. "Art thou sure?"

"I just heard about it myself, I have no idea." Setzer replied.

"Locke said they were the Empire's soldiers, they attacked him in the field hoping he was dead. I'd say that that is definitely the Empire's doing." Edgar swirled his drink in the glass smelling the nutty flavor of the peach colored liquid they were offered by the new king of Doma castle.

Cyan sighed deeply and looked both men in the eye. "I'll be with thee, let me get a few things first." He got up from his seat and headed to his chambers. When he returned he came out holding a picture of his family. "Let us be swift, the sooner we resolve this, the sooner we can know if this is a nightmare and see it's promptly resolved as a nothing..." a pause "or if it's just beginning."

Cyan asked his guards to strengthen their standing, and be on watch for imperial soldiers. "I believe I know where we can find lady Celes, I stopped by Jidoor once and saw her around the painters house with young Relm." Informed king Garamonde while going below deck so he won't feel airsick.

"Then that's our next destination," he put the ship's speed into high gear. "Hang on to something!"

"Whoa!" Edgar was shaken to his knees from the sudden jerk of the vessel.

In the Returner cave.

Locke looked around horrified. The place was completely trashed! "What happened in here?" He walked around chairs, paper, and garbage. "Did the Empire look here first and trash the place?" He wondered out loud.

Clank! A metallic sound from a room got his attention. He pulled out his Assassin dagger, which he'd kept incase of an emergency.

_'You can't sneak up on me, I'm the one with the advantage here.'_ He thought; waiting for the person to come out.

"Locke?" A voice said stepping out from a back room, it was... Mog! Kupu!

"What are you doing here?" Locke was saying, "It could be dangerous to just walk around outside now." He crossed the room patting the little guy on the back.

"I went for a long walk and found myself here..." Mog answered. "What do you mean it's not safe to walk around?" The leader of the Moogles asked when hearing back what Locke had forewarned.

"Edgar will explain everything once he and Setzer get back with the others." He turned a chair right side up and sat down. "For now let's just, clean this place up." Leaning, he scooped up a swarm of papers at his feet. "Let's catch up a bit,"

The castle soldiers moved throughout the hideout searching for anything suspicious.

The thief smiled at his friend, who sat down as well then began telling him about all the things he and his Moogle brethren have done over the year.

0 0 0

"This is so great, I was just wishing we'd see you guys again!" Relm shouted walking over to Edgar, luridly throwing her arms around his neck.

"Uh yes, it's... nice to see you, _too, young_ Relm" The king replied placing her down on the deck. "Celes, it's good to see you as well. How have you been?" He kissed her on the back of her hand.

"I've been doing great. I have a job at the opera house getting the actresses and actors ready." The ex-general said smiling, but her attention wasn't on Edgar or her recapping of her life. Her brown eyes skimmed the area for Locke, but she doesn't see him.

"Please," Setzer began, "make yourselves at home." The ship was taking off again.

"Where exactly are we going?" Celes asked walking over to Setzer giving him a smile as she touched his arm.

"It depends. Where do you think Terra might be?" The gambler asked.

"I'm not sure, maybe Mobliz. She might have stayed with the children after... you know."

They all nodded as he steered the ship East towards the Veldt.

In a cave. Shadow can hear the rush of a waterfall as he's coming to.

_'What hit me?'_ The ninja rubbing his head a moment. "Interceptor?!"

The dog then began to whimper from somewhere out of view. Shadow felt around in the dark until his hands came across the dog, its tied to a large rock, and judging by the warm sticky moisture he's bleeding. The ninja growled lowly in his throat, swearing that the Empire would pay for hurting Interceptor.

"But we have to tell the others. I might know where to find them." Shadow picked up his dog, but Interceptor leapt out of his arms and began to trot beside him. "You're strong, my friend. We need to hurry before they come back to finish the job."

In Mobliz. The whole village heard the huge airship sweeping through the sky, before it came to a land. Young and old came outside to watch the vessel descend from the sky. It was amazing!

"What is that?!" The kids shouted.

Terra looked stunned and happy, Gau was already up to them climbing all over their friends, talking a mile a minute about what he's been doing and how nice it was to see them. They laughed along with him hearing the story of how he chased two monsters away with his bare hands on the Veldt's field.

"Terra, my lady." Edgar kissed her hand as he'd kissed Celes's but the deeper warmth was there as he recalled the young lady from their earlier days. "You look stunning."

"Thank you." She said shyly; the Esper girl never really took well to compliments. She liked them, she just didn't know how to respond.

"How have you been?" Setzer asked her with intense interest.

"I've been very good actually. I'm a teacher for the students, and I watch them when their parents are working."

Gau jumped down from Edgar's shoulders and ran over to Terra as though he were showing her off. "Friend Terra live with Gau now, she like mother and friend, Gau love her very much."

She gave the young teen a quick hug, and then her face turned serious. "What are you all doing here? Where are the others?"

That was something Celes wanted to know, too.

"Well, we haven't found them yet... However, Locke is at the Returners's cave." Edgar was motioning them over to the airship. "We'll debrief once we meet back up. But, you must be aware it could be bad."

They start for the airship but Terra backed away.

"I can't fight, I don't wanna fight anymore."

"But Terra?" Celes began putting her arm around the Esper's shoulders. "If we do have to fight we'll need you there with us... It'll be like old times, all of us together again..."

"It's _not_ some reunion!" The Esper girl shouted pulling away. "I can't do it, not with the children in jeopardy..."

"The village will be watched under great protection." Setzer said taking her hands looking her in the eyes continuing. "Umaro is watching the Moogles- who can actually hold their own. If he were to come here with them and something happened, the children would be well taken care of... Please, Terra?"

She met his gaze evenly, looking from him to the others who had the same pleading expression.

"Okay," she said slowly, and still uncertain. "I should trust my friends and their word. No harm will come to these kids with Umaro and the Moogles protecting them." She assured herself. "Okay. I'm in."

Her spirits began to raise a bit when they board the ship.

"There is a good chance that this is all just a scare. We might not have to fight after all." Setzer said trying to reassure her.

Terra grinned at him and walked below deck to join the others.

Edgar wondered what was with the extra special attention, but he does not remark on it. "We should try Tzen; my brother wrote me and said that he'd be moving there with Duncan. That had been sometime ago, he could be there now."

"You're the leader." Setzer saluted him and flew in the direction of Tzen.


	4. Separation Anxiety

"Hey brother!" Sabin slapped his brother on the back so hard the king stumbled forward a bit.

"Hello," Edgar rubbing his shoulder.

"Hey Setz'." The blitz specialist raised his hand to slap him on the back as well, but he leaped out of the way.

"Sorry, I need this arm to steer."

Sabin let out a loud laugh. "You never lost that humor." he then turned to the ladies. "You three are looking very lovely; I'm glad you're taking care of yourselves."

They both blushed but brushed off his compliment, moving back inside the airship after greeting the martial artist at the door.

"Gau glad to see you too, friend Sabin."

Sabin hoisted the young teen up to sit on his shoulder, and he followed behind Setzer and his brother into the vessel.

Once they are walking the lengthy halls, Prince Figaro asked. "So...what brought you guys here, a party?"

"I wish," Edgar stated.

Setzer left the conversation and climbed to the upper deck.

"Locke thinks that the Empire might be re-forming under new management; they tried to kill him out near South Figaro. They might even have a bounty put out for us, every thief and assassin might be on the lookout for us." The weightless feeling surrounded them. It can really turn a stomach if you're not prepared for it.

"Well all right, we can finally have some action around here," He turned back to the village before they were too high up. "Duncan! I have to go with my brother! I'll see you later!" He waved down to him.

"Good bye, Sabin!" Duncan waved with a smile. "Maybe now I can get some peace, sheesh!"

The door of the ship was yanked shut, and the royal pair walked to the second floor then above deck. As the air ship began to make it's way towards the Returner cave they were all settling their nerves hoping for a good outcome in the news that had brought them all together but might soon tear them apart. War isn't fun and games. These somber times are what they want deep down, even if some would like to fight. The reality just needs time to better sink in for them where the year and months of war had lasted.

The Meeting:

Edgar paced around the table, they watched him quietly.

"Well?" Celes said.

"I'm thinking, that's all." He bit his bottom lip and turned around to face them. "I don't have a clue as to what to do about this, except we need to split up and find out any information we can- as quickly as we can." The king sat down in his chair and waited for their responses.

"How are we gonna do that?" Said Locke. "If we ask the townspeople, they'll freak, and then they'll know something is up..."

"Besides that, you know what a sort of panic they get in when they think they might be in danger. They'd turn us in for sure." Setzer added.

"You're right," Sabin began. "I say we hit them before they hit us!"

Locke, Sabin, and Setzer let out cheers, while the girls, Cyan, and Edgar shook their heads.

"I could send the Moogles around to investigate," Mog stood up to say over their noise.

"Mog, We forgot to ask you if the Moogles could watch the children of Mobliz with Umaro?" Terra pleaded.

That was surprising, though not by much. He knows how much the young woman loves to care for people. "Sure," Kupo. "But there are more than the few Moogles around Narshe, our tribes run deep. We can do both."

"Excellent idea Mog, no one will suspect them, they're allowed to come and go as they please," Edgar was saying then added. "so all we have to do is split into parties and try to track down and conquer any bases that the empire has... We're stronger as a whole than we are separate." They nodded to that comment in agreement.

"Now, to pick who should go with whom," he started to speak when the door burst open, they jumped from the startle and turned to see the uninvited and unexpected guest.

"Shadow?" said Locke

"The Empire...has Returned..." he collapsed winded.

Terra and Celes came to his aid but he pushed them away.

"I'm fine, just winded from all the running."

"But you're bleeding," said Relm. "so is Interceptor." She touched the dogs sticky fur then ran to get some water for it.

"Where was the location? Do you remember?" Setzer asked.

"The caves on the Veldt..."

Terra looked terrified. She knew she never should have left. The empire could be there, right now, shaking the small village to rubble in search of her and Gau. "Whichever team goes there, I'm in." She stated not wanting to hear an argument.

"I will too," declared the treasure hunter. "I promise I'll protect you..." he caught himself in the sentence. "Uh, better than the last time."

Terra smiled at him, thankful. "Thank you, Locke."

He blushed slightly and moved around the table to stand beside her.

_'I can't just count myself in, they might suspect something.'_ Celes thought, then looked over at Setzer flipping a card between his fingers. _'Maybe if-...'_ her concentration was broken at the sound of her name.

"And Celes is with us." Edgar said.

They all stood from their seat around the table and walked into their group.

Edgar nodded with self assurance that he made the right call. "This time... it's personal. No pleasantries, no negotiations. We go in for the kill."

"Setzer?" Relm tugged at his jacket sleeve. "We have to stop at Thamasa first. I have to tell grandpa what we're doing and..."

"I'm sorry, Relm. We have to stick to the plan right now, we can't make any sudden stops." Setzer stated, obeying Edgar's orders to go straight to Figaro castle to tell his men.

"Humph! I always thought you were fun, but I guess you're just an old grump!" The little artist was starting a scene- as she often did- and sadly Setzer fell right into it.

"I beg your pardon?" Setzer was saying looking down at the tiny young lady.

"Relm, please knock it off," Celes was saying "we have too much to worry about right now."

Relm seemed defeated at the moment and let it go. They all were quiet for the rest of the way._ 'Like seeing my grandpa and making sure he knows I'm ok isn't important...? Why are they treating me like some dumb kid? I'll show them how dumb this kid ain't.'_ Relm stood up and walked below deck, no one followed or had even seen her go, because they too must have been in their own thoughts.

When they approached Figaro castle his men were already outside welcoming him as they landed. "How did you all know I was coming, I thought you were all standing down?" Edgar said stepping out of the airship. "We saw the airship from a good distance, sir." One of his guards replied walking beside them into the castle.

"I need all my weapons brought to me right away. And also bring the experimental ones."

"Sir, yes sir." The guards rushed away to do as he asked.

Edgar turned to talk to the second squad oof his guards, "I need to talk with you." he lead them up the hall into a room. The others waited patiently for him to return to the ship and when he did he wasn't smiling.

"Bad news, I take it?" Sabin asked.

"We're gonna have to go it on foot." Edgar answered.

"What?!" They were all baffled by his words.

"What does thou mean, sir?" Cyan asked following close behind him for an explanation.

"Setzer, your ship is far too noticeable for us to sneak around, we'd never get in anywhere undetected... We're gonna have to leave it once we get to Nikeah for supplies." Edgar said hoping he'd understand.

"You're the boss." Setzer replied, though you could tell he was a little hurt by these words. He hasn't ridden a Chocobo for some time, he hoped he still knows how.

"Take these," Edgar handed them each a sack to fill with things they'll need when they go through Nikeah, which had become the worlds biggest trading and selling market. "Fill these even past its limits, who knows how long we'll be doing this."

"Yes, sir." They reply mimicking the officiant palace guards.

"Away we go." The gambler said, started the engines. The vessel moved slowly through the sky headed towards the village; his spirits partially crushed, but, Setzer knows that what they have to do was more important than being able to fly his ship, so he set his mind on that instead.

0 0 0

The trip there was pleasant everyone began to loosen up once they got to the village. The Returners looked around for food, asked what types of weaponry the merchants there had and the sales people who had taken the job more professionally.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Locke said, as he bumped into someone walking by.

Gau noticed the thief's hands slipping a pouch that belonged to the man into his own belt and figured he'd do the same.

"Gau want honey." He announced. Straying from the group, he snaps up a jar from a nearby vender, quickly shoving his hand inside and sucking the sweet goodness from his fist.

"Hey you gotta pay for that!" The salesman shouted at him. "I oughta cut you in half for this!"

"Sounds like there may be a scrap of trouble." Cyan said to the others.

They all turned in the direction of the commotion and ran to see what it was.

"Gau not mean to steal, just do like friend Locke," the boy said in a shudder.

"Is that supposed to be an excuse!?" The man shouted.

The guy was obviously angrier than they thought because he pulled out a clever on the child and held Gau's hand down. But just as the reforming cutlery was coming down on him a dirk clashed against it and knocked it out of the merchant's hand.

"Mind explaining what you're doing?" Locke asked holding the weapon to the man's neck.

"Locke we're not here to fight," Edgar stated while slamming some gold coins down for the honey, he was just as annoyed as Locke but tried to keep it down. "For the honey." The king explained to the man.

"That's all I ask." The shop owner grumbled, scooping up the coins to count them as the group walked back into the crowd.

"Almost makes you wonder why we're trying to save their lives." Locke mumbled bitterly looking back at the small shop.

"We shouldn't call anymore attention to ourselves," Celes was saying. "there could be eyes and ears everywhere. And too many people know us by now." She remained talking in a low voice. Over by the salesman's stand a man covered from head to toe walked over to him. Who could it be? An enemy or another friend?

"Once we get to Nikeah we'll take the first two boats we see out to the Veldt and back to South Figaro," Edgar commanded. "And you should keep west of that island, take my castle to Kohlingen when you get there. Any questions...?" Seeing it's a no he then said. "Good. See you in the middle, and good luck." They all bid one another good bye and took the boats to their locations.

Doma castle.

"Surely my men would tell me if they've seen anything," Cyan was saying as he, Edgar, Locke, Terra, and Gau approached Doma castle. "They are very loyal." They all nodded as they passed the castle.

"Do you have a Chocobo stable yet?" Terra asked wanting to pick up the pace for the Veldt.

"That we have," Cyan replied. "some of the best birds next to Figaro's."

Edgar humbly shook his head to the thought.

"Why Edgar, that's the first time I've seen you smile through this whole thing," said Locke patting his best friend on the shoulder. "Something going on up there that I should know about?" The thief asked quietly so the others wouldn't hear them.

"Why nothing at all Locke, don't worry about me." Edgar was saying trying not to smile.

"I wouldn't worry if you'd give me a better reason to believe you than a half-hearted smile..." Locke said looking at his best friend to see if it hit anything. Nothing.

As they walked inside the castle entry they heard the chirp of the birds in the distance.

"Geez, how close are those things?" Locke said over the noise.

"You remember that door that lead to nothing?" Cyan was saying and they laughed knowing what he was talking about. "We built the stable over the water, right this way," he steered them through the doors to a marvelous stable for the birds.

"Gau want this bird!" He said running over to one and trying to climb on, the bird let out a loud sound and moved away.

"You can ride with me Gau." Terra said with a smile to his innocence.

They all hopped onto a bird and exited through the stable doors and outside. As they herded into the Phantom forrest, whispers went up around them but the birds feet were stamping too loudly for them to notice. Until- Whiff!

"Look out!" Locke shouted.

An arrow flew through the sky towards Terra and Gau, he leaped off of the bird rolling into the under-brush but the arrow grazed Terra's arm knocking her off the bird!

"Terra!?" They shouted turning around to go back for her but more arrows came followed by a flood of soldiers they began to attack them with their sword, axes, and bare hands atop their birds.

Edgar knocked a Templer Soldier off his balance but went down with him in the collision, they broke into a savage sword fight and in the end Edgar came out triumphant with a few little cuts.

"I can't believe these ruffians are so close to my castle," Cyan was saying. "don't let any of them get by!" He used his swordtech skills slicing soldiers in two with one swing.

Locke blocked an arrow with his shield and knocking it out of the way as he swung his boomerang around the woods knocking soldiers to the ground. One of the armoured men were coming right towards him, and the thief stood up on his bird and jumped on top of the man knocking him to the ground and stabbing him with the assassin sword.

_'Why can't I help them?'_ Terra wondered watching the battle. _'I can't just sit here and watch them all get hurt, but if I reveal my secret ohhh. Why does this have to be so hard?'_ As she stood up she moved her hand showing that her arm was completely healed.

Battle cries went up in the air as the men disappeared from the fight, when it was all over they froze and looked around. "Is that all of them?" Asked Locke looking around.

"I think so..." Edgar replied. They re-mounted their birds. "Is everyone okay?" The king asked looking at them.

"I'm alright," Locke said then asked. "Cyan?"

"I am fine." He replied then asked, "Terra?"

"Yes, I'm- Gau? Where's Gua?!"

They looked around the forest with their eyes.

"Gaaauuu?!" Terra shouted.

0 0 0

The others they're arriving at Figaro castle once again.

"We should take a rest," Sabin was saying as they walked inside. "This could be a tiring week." The prince went down the stairs to the man that will takes the castle to Kohlingen and while he was busy with that Celes and Setzer stood in the hall waiting.

_'I really wanna see Grandpa Strago, but, Edgar says no...'_ Relm thinks.

"Hey Relm," Setzer said cutting into her thoughts. "I'm sorry I was so brusque before... I was being a little high strung." He felt the need to apologize to her but the little artist was lost in thought. "Relm...?" He asked.

"Huh? Oh it's okay, I'm already over it. I mean, I'd wanna make Edgar happy too so don't worry about it."

"You're awfully quiet though, is something wrong?" Celes asked her, feeling the girl's head.

"Hey, come on, can't a girl just not wanna talk?" Relm replied swatting at Celes's hand.

"Sorry." Celes said sadly.

The castle jerked and started to moving.

"Guess this starts the first day of hell?" Setzer said.

Celes gave him an odd look. Shadow on the other hand watching Relm stare into space and it seemed as if he knew what she was thinking. When the castle came to a brief halt, Relm took her chance and wandered into the prison cells room and disappeared into the tunnel undetected. As the castle started to move again Setzer and Celes walked down into the control room with Sabin.

"Hey guys," he was saying when he saw them. "we're almost there."

"I think something might be wrong with Relm, she's being too quiet." Celes said to Sabin crossing her arms across her chest.

"Oh yeah?" The blitz specialist asked looking around. "Where is she?"

"Probably still upstairs." Setzer replied.

"Maybe she really wants to see her Grandpa that badly and she's kind of down because of it, I'll have a talk with her when we get to the village, you guys can take a rest for a while."

And so that was the plan, or so they thought, because there wasn't going to be a talk with Relm, she had already been on her way back to through the tunnels and back to the surface to head to Nikeah.

"Well, we're here," Sabin said when they finally stopped. "See you two later."

They walked into the main part of the castle and to the bed room for a quick rest, while Sabin looked around for Relm.

"Relm? ...Hey Kid where are you?" He walked into the king's room remembering how much she adored his brother, thinking she might naturally go to his bed chambers, but she wasn't there. "Well where is she?" Sabin walked around the castle searching every room. "Relm? Hey Reeelm? Relm arrowny?" He laughed out until he realized just what was going on. "Hey guys...!"

x x x

Commentary: I hate this so much lol. It's like getting roasted ^_^. I can only hope that the count is going up from first chapter curiosity, but you've been backing out afterwards. If not, wow, what on earth is wrong with you? Or should I say thank you? I don't know. To each their own, and if you like it ten I'll happily put it in for you. Thanks for reading.. I think.


	5. New development

"I can't believe she snuck off like that," Celes declared, a little annoyed at Relm's actions. "When did she do it? How?"

"She must have left when we hit the crossings under the castle, that little scamp." Sabin said punching his fist into his palm.

"No need to let her slow us down, I say we leave without her." Setzer said callously.

"Setzer, show some heart" Celes ordered.

"And you know what else?" They gave the gambler a questioning look. "Shadow is missing, too."

"_Fantastic_! Why don't we just lose our whole party!" Sabin said leaving the room in a huff.

"Why's he so angry?" Setzer asked Celes who had turned and looked out a window.

"How should I know, inner frustrations I guess... we really should go. It's getting dark outside, and that isn't good for anyone."

"You're right there." He shouted in the room to him the prince stormed off to. "Sabin, we're going!"

Sabin still wanted to brood over their loss, but re-joined them exiting the castle, not much choice in the matter since they must investigate. After leaving the castle they head for the woods near Kohlingen.

...

"I have to make it home? Now which ship was it again?" Relm asked herself out loud as she walked through the town's cave that leads to South Figaro. She lit her way with a torch that she'd taken from the wall. "I wish I weren't alone in this, but sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do." She heard a rustle behind her and gasped.

"But she still has to keep a buddy for safety, aaahhh!" She ran through the cave and right into a battle.

A grease monk threw a wrench at her and she was hit. Yelping from the pain, she took out one of her old rainbow paint brushes and made a sketch of him tossing the wrench right back and killing the weakling. It was almost a blessing the monsters were so weak with trying to revert back into normal animals and people.

"I did it! I did it!" She jumped and cheered like she were dancing. "Swoo, calm down, Relm. You'll be all right by yourself." She walked along trying to avoid more battles, she'd like to get to her Grandfather in one piece, but she had this weird feeling that someone was following her.

When she made it out of the caverns, there was just a short run through the field to the South and she would take the next boat back to Nikeah than to Thamasa. _'I hope I have enough money.'_

Rhodaux! He used a scratch attack on her and she blocked it with her shield. She made a quick sketch of it and sent the scratch back but it wasn't enough! She tried again to use something different but she had no control over it and used scratch again. She realized that it might be too strong for her grabbed her things and ran.

When she got to the town she went straight to the docks, paid the man, and took the boat to Nikeah._ 'Don't worry gramps I won't let the excitement pass you by, and I won't let you worry about me from some letter about a war that might start up if we can't stop it. I hope we can stop it...'_ she bundled herself up and went to sleep.

That night. The group had made their way through every inch of the forest, and there was no sign of soldiers or secret bases. Near Kohlingen anyway, there is still the area around Jidoor.

"Dammit! You think by now we would have seen _something,_ other than your typical confused animals gone bad." Sabin, obviously bored said leaning his back against a mountain side.

"You're right," Setzer agreed only subtler.

"Maybe they haven't made it this far yet?" Celes tried to think of a logical explanation.

"We should have seen something by now." Setzer leaned against the wall just then same only... "Whoa! Oof!" He slammed face first into the ground.

"Setzer!" Sabin and Celes gasped.

"Owww" He groaned getting up dusting himself off. "What the devil..." His words pause as he sees what his fall left revealed. "Guys have a look at this!"

They pushed their hands against the wall feeling for an entrance.

"Where are you?" Celes asked just as she was being grabbed by his hand, she pulled Sabin along with her. When they were inside, they couldn't believe their eyes.

"Look at all this gold!" Sabin cried.

"Where did it all come from?" Celes wondered out loud.

There was a tiny little, what seems to be, a workshop set up in the mountain.

"All these maps..." Setzer picked one up wide-eyed. "Look at this..." He showed them a map with red markings on them. "These must mark every base on the continent. They might already be out there full-filling their missions."

"You think so?" Celes asked looking over his shoulder. Setzer shrugged at his theory and stuck the map in the back of his pants.

"Llllet's, get out of here, okay? I feel a bit un-easy." The ex-general rubbed the draft from her arms.

They walked through the entrance and out into the sunlight to an ambush..

"Having fun?" Asked a hidden voice.

They wasted no time in the attack, they couldn't let the map get taken. Celes fought bravely with her Regalcutglass. Setzer used his slot to his advantage, taking out three of the soldiers with his mega flare. Sabin used his training grabbing a soldier slamming him to the ground with a suplex. Men were jumping off the mountain side, pulling out swords ready to attack.

"Stand back!" Sabin shouted raising his arms for an attack. A strong wind picked up around them, slicing the remaining men in half like one would mow down a blade of grass such is the power of the Airblade attack.

"There's no mistaking it, we have to show the others the maps." Sabin said in his exhaled breath.

"Yeah." They agreed following him.

X x X

The group walked through the Phantom forest in silence. The train was no longer there so they had to make their way to Barren Falls by following the tracks.

"I can't believe that Gau would wonder off like that," Terra said picking a leaf from her hair and dropping it to the ground.

"I'm certain sir Gau is fine, lady Terra." Cyan tried to comfort her. "He may have been scared and run back to the castle."

"He's right, Gau is fine," Locke reassures. He reached to put his arm around her, hard to do when her Chocobo is walking faster than his own.

"I wonder how the others are doing, if they've found anything?" Edgar is up ahead of the group. "It's getting pretty dark."

Cyan walked up ahead to catch up with Edgar. "Perhaps we should set up camp?" He questioned.

"Not right here. We should make our way to the Veldt first, then we sleep."

Hearing their conversation Terra sped up with Locke doing the same. They traveled as fast as they could be carried until they hit Barren Falls.

"You know the drill." Locke said dismounting his bird then jumping off the cliff side with Terra following.

"I guess no one told them that they have a walking path to the bottom now." Cyan grabbed the reign of Terra's ride; Edgar grabbed a hold of Locke's abandoned bird. "Shall we, your majesty? Cyan asked.

"By all means, after you." Said the king.

They walked down the path to the Veldt.

"What took you guys so long?" Locke said panting and wiping wet hair from his forehead.

"We took the path." Edgar said with a sly smile.

"Are we going to stay in town?" Terra asked.

"I'm afraid not. It's too risky. We better camp out in a cave somewhere around here."

They walked over to the mountain that lined the water's edge and looked for a cave to camp out in.

"Found one!" Locke announced and they walked inside setting up their sleeping bags.

"Good night, everyone." Edgar said to them.

"Good night." They replied and went to sleep.

As everyone drifted off to sleep, Edgar remained awake staring into the dim light coming from the cave entrance.

_'Can I be_ _so responsible?'_ He thought '_Can I be that much stronger in that situation again? Ha! Me? ...A leader... A king... A_ friend... _A person_. _My young life taken, all by the flip of a coin for a place in life that I thought I wanted.'_ He downcast his vision. '_And look at Terra; she shows so much maturity for her age, coming along with us when she could have given up and stayed in the woods to look for Gau. She could have remained in the village with the children. A normal civilian from all the brutality of war.'_

He began to remember that night his father had died, when he and his twin brother had to decide who took the thrown; Sabin had rebeled aching to keep his youth while he had been eager to be an adult... to be like his father. A beloved ruler of the land, but he also wanted to keep himself normal, to be a good friend, instead of becoming power hungry like other rulers of the lands.

_'I have done that... but to what extent? What if I had been the one who'd left? ...Would I be feeling this fear of failure to protect when needed every time? No, I'd be right along with the rest of them battling fiercely for the best outcome- trusting my abilities rather than the thought of my duties to serve as leader...could I?'_ He rolled over on his back with his arms behind his head to stare quietly into darkness.

"What's that noise?" He asked himself.

It sounds like music? But where is it coming from? Edgar got up from his sleeping bag and walked to the mouth of the cave.

_'It is music!'_

King Figaro looked around the best he could and felt for Locke's bag. Once found, he dumped the contents out and searched for something.

"I hope he kept them," He whispered out loud. "ah, here they are." He smiled at the fist full of clothes that belonged to the soldier Locke had taken them from.

He went outside and slid them on. When he was done he tried to look into the river for his reflection by the moonlight. Nothing but a shadow. They fit well on him, which is why they were so loose on Locke.

"Guess this is as good a time as any to trust those abilities." He marched across the field to where the sound was coming from.

There was a shack by the hills, surrounded by dirt walls. What are they doing in there? He wondered to himself as he peered over the clumps of earth. Edgar moved closer to the window and looked in. The soldiers are having some kind of party. The place is no hideout, but a pub. There is music, women dancing, what was going on? A group of soldiers were heading to the entrance; Edgar used this chance to slip in un-noticed.

"Yeah, did you see the look on those fool's faces when we pounced on them?!"

The soldier laughed loudly. "Oh, p-p-pleeease don't hurt us! Ha ha haa!" The men laughed harder.

Edgar walked over to the bar and sat down trying to be casual, the bartender gave him a long stare, but asked his order anyway.

"What'll it be?" He wiped out a mug and turned around.

"Um..." The king cleared his throat trying to make it sound deeper. "Any type of rum would be nice." The man mumbled something Edgar didn't hear as he surveyed the place with his eyes, twisting himself on the stool seat. _'Filth...'_ He thought and as he skimmed the room.

He came across a dart board with a picture of him on it, darts sticking out all over his portrait. Rather annoyed by this, he turns away looking around the other side of the room.

"What's next on the list?" One of them asked.

He turned back around the right way hearing his mug slam down on the counter.

"That filthy town, Mobliz. Might as well start close if we're gonna take over this place."

He continued listening in on the conversation. "To the Empire." He said false-heartedly raising his mug and taking a drink.

"Saaay," The bartender began to say. "You new around here?"

"Why no, I.. Oof!" A soldier smashed a chair against his back pushing his stomach into the barcounter.

Edgar groaned in pain trying to stand up and fight, but as he pulled out his sword he suddenly felt dizzy. "Ohhh, what's... happening? Am I drunk?" He held his head hearing the soldiers laughter fly about.

"How'd you like your drink your majesty?" Sneered the bartender.

"Get him!" One of the men cried.

Edgar swung around blindly but missed every time. The soldiers were getting live with excitement from the thought of fresh Returner blood. They pushed him around the room and as he was shoved to one of the men, he was kicked in the stomach and dropping to his knees he was bashed again over the back, thinking it were over he shook the sick feeling standing up in battle stance.

"You can't count me out just yet." Edgar said bravely. He wouldn't go, not without a fight! Not now. Not _ever!_

The king whipped out his newest weapon that had just been made, an auto-crossbow with flame arrows, his aim was a little shaky but he fired. The bow shot out a splash of kerosene and the flame caught on ignition paper lighting up the moistened arrows.

"Look out!" Soldiers leaped out of the way and some of them blocked his fires.

"Aaahhhhh!" One of them cried, dropping to the floor trying to put himself out.

The drug was too strong for him causing him to stumble backwards and fall against the wall.

"He's ours!" A Templer guard said, but, when they advanced on him.

Flash! A huge white light lit up the entire place. There was a loud buzzing sound overhead and Edgar shielded his eyes to see what it was along with the soldiers.

A Bum Rush! With another flash the room was in a battle! "AAHH!" Soldiers shouted. "Neveeerrrr!" One of them cried out. Locke broke a chair over a man's head then smashed his face into a table.

"Ooooo!" Cyan jumped into the air using his Schimitar.

Celes was kicked in the back but spun around and returned the gesture in the stomach, the soldier rolled over a table and she stabbed him with a Illumina.

Sabin punched a soldier into the corner of the wall and gave him a full faced pummel attack.

Terra ran over to Edgar lying delirious in a corner. "Are you OK?"

"Just a little bruised," he said getting a helping hand to stand up. "I think-" he stammered out. "I heard them talking, boasting about it. I think they're gonna torch Mobliz."

"What?!" She couldn't believe her ears!

"Come on, Terra!" Locke's voice shouted. "We gotta go!"

She couldn't hear him she was blinded by anger.

Sabin slipped his arms around his brother, "I got him," he started for the door as the bright light faded away, but, she wasn't listening. "Terr' what are you doing?" Sabin asked watching her.

A heat began to grow around the Esper girl's body as she spread her arms walking to the center of the room pulling heat in, she then brought her hands together like a prayer and she began her command... "Phoenex Fire!"

The others ran for the door as the place went up in a blaze.


	6. Stars in the morning skies

Terra is standing outside on a cliff side thinking quietly to herself._ 'I can use magic, so what? It's not like it hasn't been seen before... but still, it feels wrong. Magic has disappeared from the world, it disappred from within me. So why can I still use it? It's as if it means something more... but what?'_

"Terra?" Setzer walked up beside her, lowering himself down to sit beside her; the Esper girl took his lead and sat down as well.

They stared at the sky, silently watching as the sun is rising.

"They're mad at me aren't they...?" She said mechanically.

"I believe the word you're looking for is confused." The gambler replied. Removing his coat, he slid it around her tiny, though mighty, shoulders noticing the shudders. But it wasn't from cold, it was fear. The warmth was given as comfort rather than cover. "Terra, why didn't you tell us that you..." The words couldn't come out of his mouth, so she finished his thought.

"...Still have magic?" She bundled herself in his coat; his scent brushed against her senses calming her more through the vanilla rose fragrance. Her green gaze calmed by continued looking at the sunrise.

"I thought it all disappeared back then, that you were a full human?" He watched her face to make sure he isn't over stepping the conversation.

"Oh Setzer," she sniffled and leaned against him lying her head on his shoulder. "Why didn't it go away? Why didn't it leave my body? Why aren't I normal?"

"Sshh," He hushed her rubbing her shoulder. "Terra...? Terra do you remembered when I told you about my airship? My... need to fly?" She nodded. "Well it's destiny now, my destiny, just like all the others have their destinies... and having magic, being part Esper... is _yours'..."_

She shook her head, wiping the steady stream of tears.

"You're afraid," he continued to say. "but you know in your heart that you're not. To live as you are, as you're meant to... it's all anyone ever hopes for. You'll overcome your fear of being different, you'll embrace it that you're unique.. You can do it."

Terra began to straighten herself up as it sank in. "You're right, I can do it. And, if I believe I can- if you guys believe I can?" She said moving herself away from him taking the warmth in his heart that she had provided him.

"We do," the gambler replied with a smile then he glanced over his shoulder making sure no one was watching, and he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek then stood up. "Now, I have to be off. See you, Terra." He ran a distance but she called out to him.

"Wait!"

Setzer stopped and turned around.

"What about your coat?!" She asked.

"Keep it!" He called back, waving as he left.

She smiled to herself yanking it on tighter. _'Setzer?'_

She had a thought back to the day the world was coming to an end, they were scared- the air ship had broken in half from a blast, and he tried to save her, he held on as tight as he could but they were both blown off. Why hadn't she kept a hold of his hands? Terra stood up and began to walk back to the airship with the others; her hand upon her cheek where a kiss is being held onto.

In Thamasa.

"I made it," Relm said relaxing. "and not a scratch on me." She laughed happily. Running her Grandpa's house, she shoved the door open in a hurry. "Grandpa!?" She shouted up the stairs. "You awake?!" She stomped noisily as she ran down the hall. "Grandpa...?" He was asleep, his Matron looked over at him then her and silenced the child.

"Is he alright?" Relm asked and the woman nodded, but it seemed forced along with a smile. Relm walked over to the bed and stared down at him, he didn't look very healthy to her. His skin is pale, very pale, and he was hardly breathing.

"Oh Gramps..." she was starting to wish she hadn't come here at all and she'd just stayed and fought with the others.

"I'm going out for some medicine, seems like herbs are hard to find now adays, will you watch your grandpa Relm?" The woman asked.

"Uh-huh." She sat down on the chair next to his bed and watched him sleep; as the matron left the room she turned back with a frown at the sight of it then she left. _'I know... you'll be ok, you old geezer.' _The girl thought solemnly and patted his fading hand.

There was that nagging feeling again, someone was watching her; and as they moved closer she heard the creak on the stairs making her jump from the start.

"Whose there?!" She jumped up from the stool looking around. "Show yourself, don't make me paint your portrair!" She stared into the darkness, a little scared.

"Wait! Gau no want get hurt from friend, Relm." The boy came from the shadows on all fours.

"Gau," she sighed out. "what are you doing here?"

"Gau run," he began into a story with a flashback to what happened. "Friends get attacked, Gau fall down- roll away, when Gau come back, fight over and friends gone... Gau go back to last places Gau remember, but can't find way in castle. Gau go back to boat place, man take him to Nikeah, Gau see friend Relm, Gau follow her and be here."

"Oh..." She said returning back to her seat by the bed.

"This Relm grandpa, still?" Gau asked looking down over the man in the bed.

"You know I never undertsand you when you talk- at all!" Relm bellowed.

"You mean friend, Gau wish never came, Gau leaving." The boy turned and walked away.

_'So go on then,'_ Relm thought with a slight sniffle. _'I don't need anyone here with mock sympathy for me, no one at all.'_ She began to cry into the pillow on the bed. A shadow moved behind her in the darkness, had Gau really left?

"Come on you guys. We have to get going..." Edgar yelled to everyone that strayed the camping location. Setzer walked up to Edgar and pulled him away from the group. "What are we going to do about Terra and her secret?" He whispered.

"I'm not sure... we'll have to wait it out I guess, come on, old man." He patted his shoulder and walked away.

They all boarded the airship and began to take off. "Where to?" Setzer asked.

"We should fly around for a while and look for any soldiers that escaped last night... I'm thinking some of them may have gotten away." Edgar said to them sitting down at Setzer's desk.

"Or worse someone was standing around watching the whole thing and they went to tell their new master." Sabin was saying. "I mean, a guy wounded would take awhile but some by stander could easily get there."

They all thought about the possibility that they were going to get ambushed in a nearby location.

"So the question is... What do we do now?" Terra asked her eyes scanned the room for the answer, when she looked at Setzer his attention was out the window, she looked down a little dismayed.

Imperial Vector.

"Sir, we're sorry to report sir but our maps were stolen from the hide out," The figure cocked his head at his soldier, and in a shiver he continued. "the Returners may be on their way to us right now." He backed away hiding his face from what he thought would come next.

The figure just smiled behind the shadows. "You know what to do." A deep, evil voice emerged from it.

"Yes, sir!" The soldier saluted proudly and turned around to alert the other men.

"Oh! And one more thing." A shrill voice followed, and with the push of a button the man had been killed by a blast of fire, shooting from a machine. "Make ready for the attack." It ordered another soldier and he rushed away. "Soon Terra my lovely, very soon."

In the Blackjack II, Locke is in the center of the room fiddling with a pair of dice on the table rolling it three times seeing what it lands on. _'Snake eyes.'_ He thought. _'Snake eyes.'_ Again. _'Snake eyes,_ _what are these fixed?'_ The thief picked them up and squinted through the red coloring.

_'Now's my chance,'_ Celes thought walking away from the group to be near Locke. "Hi, Locke." She said getting next to him and taking a piece of dice from his hand.

"Oh, hey Celes," he replied with a bright smile. "Your group thing go okay?"

"Well we lost Relm and Shadow." She mumbled out then smiled at him. _'Just say it.'_ She coached herself. _'You know he likes you.'_ She had a flash of the Opera House performance she had done, when he'd seen her in that dress and made him blush.

"Conference." Edgar announced steering everyone to a table.

They pulled up a chair yup sitting on either sides of the table in the group they were assigned to, and Edgar sat in the middle of the table at the end.

"Well, we so far know that we've been found out... We know where their bases are. The likelihood of the maps being fake is at a low percent rate." Edgar was saying and being interrupted by Locke.

"Well, we could have acquired a map of places marked where they've searched for us.

Edgar gave him a look and continued. "They could alert their boss and be on us, so report. What did your group accomplish? How far ahead are we in this thing?" He looked to the left where Sabin, Setzer, and Celes were sitting.

"Well to be precise, we uh..." Sabin began and ended weakly. "we lost Shadow and Relm from the start." He shrugged.

"How could you lose them?!" Edgar exploded in panic. "Shadow, sure, he can take care of himself, but Relm- she's a little girl."

"Hey! Don't you go starting in on us, we noticed that Gau isn't exactly with you either!" Sabin shot back.

"Touché." Edgar mumbled. "Well, I guess that's another matter, then. I'm sure they're very capable of taking care of themselves." They lost the tension that had just passed and eased back into conversation.

"Have you found anything out, secured any areas?" The king questioned them.

"Setzer, pay attention." Celes ordered. "Give him the maps."

"Do you hear a buzzing sound?" The gambler asked ignoring her completely.

"I don't hear anything." Edgar said.

"That's you're ship, man. You think you'd be used to it by now." Locke said trying to rush the conference.

Setzer tossed them the maps and walked away to go on the top deck. Edgar reached for them and rolled them open; Locke was the first one over to see them. "Alright, let's have a look." They leaned across the table for a look at the map.

_'I know what my ship sounds like, and that awful buzzing is something else.'_ Setzer thought as he reached the ladder climbing to the deck, when he got out there he saw nothing, and it was quiet. "...!?" His senses were up and then came the attack!

Down below. "Look at this little red 'X' under Vector, sirs... What doths thou think it means?" Cyan asked pointing to it.

"Must be the main base, it has to be," Locke was saying moving around to get closer. "You think maybe we should go there and check it out?"

"Wouldn't hurt." Edgar said.

"Whoa!" Their yells went up.

"Setzer!" Sabin was shouting into the air. "Keep this thing straight!" The next rumble felt more like an impact then air turbulence.

"What's going on up there?" The twins say the same, but, not together.

Setzer flew the ship faster through the skies, he slid away from the control panel and walked to the point of the ship, accessing the situation. Moving his sleeve he waved his hand over his slot watch summoning a command but they fired!

The gambler jumped out of the way getting his hand burned. "Ah!" He moved his sleeve up reaching for his watch again but... "Damn, it's broken." He said to himself and he threw it off. "Can't do it by hand."

"Then how's about some assistance?" Locke said, Setzer turned to see the group standing behind him.

"Am I ever glad to see you guys, my watch is..." His words froze as he felt a familiar vibration run through him. _'Couldn't be?'_ He thought.

The others had gone into battle already and, so far so good. Terra freely used her magic on the Skyfires. She summoned heat blast after fireball. The blast knocked out at least two and had taken some damage on one.

"I'm gonna miss you." Locke said to his Hawke eye tossing it into one of the robots vents knocking it out of the sky, it does not return to him having gotten stuck in the thick metal it pierced. "Party time!" The thief shouted.

Sabin used his Blitz along side Cyan, his Fire Dance taking out the one guy Terra had damaged to finish the job, the dance does size-able damage to others. The flying robots aimed and fired breaking a hole in the ship's deck, two more opened fire and it knocked against Celes's shield causing her to go flying against the railing. "Uh!"

"You alright, Celes?" Edgar asked running to assistance, he pulled out his new Bio Blaster shooting acid sludge through the sky landing on two of the robots.

With out warning everyone felt revived, they looked to Terra but she shrugged shaking her head. They figured it was just a sudden burst of energy and kept fighting. Setzer tossed a full deck off cards at one of the Sky Fires, the sharp edge cut through the metal knocking it out of the air. Without warning a herd of Chocobo's flew into the air at the Sky Fires, but gave no damage to the machines.

"Setzer, what's going on?!" Edgar shouted over the commotion.

"I'm not sure," He was saying, tossing another deck of cards. "But I think my slot may be malfunctioning and all the attacks are coming out." Setzer quickly dodged a blast.

Having not used her magic to do battle for some time, the Esper girl was hesitant to test her merit, but Terra cast a stronger attack a Flaming Meteor Shower. A fire shower came crashing down on the robots taking them out in droves, but more kept coming. The atmosphere shifted and Setzer's 7-Flush came up through the sky blasting them to bits, but the robots kept returning.

"There's just no end to these guys!" Edgar said changing to his new Spit Drill.

Setzer looked around feeling the attack welling up inside of him. "You guys, get down!" Shouted the pilot.

Everything had gone in slow motion and explosions burst in air, not just on the rest of the robots, but on his ship's engines. It hit Edgar's weapons as well. The sky turned red and the ship began to fall...


	7. Rest

"What hit me?" Asked Locke, rubbing his head groaning.

"I don't understand what could have happened?" Setzer was saying to himself looking at his fully broken watch.

"I'll tell you what happened," Sabin was saying getting to his feet. "you're an idiot!"

"I beg your pardon?!" Setzer said standing and getting in Sabin's face.

"I mean who possesses a skill like that?!" He continued not the least bit afraid.

"It was the Jokers Doom. Knocks out everyone and everything, kills them in fact, we're _lucky._ Had it not been broken we'd of surely died. But it only blew up the mechanical things, fixable surely, we'll be fine." He explained.

"Yeah, no thanks to you..." Sabin sat himself down on the ocean shore they landed by and looked out at the water.

_'This looks like that island that Cid and I were on, but it can't be; there's a cave instead of a house.'_ She looked down the beach at Locke who was brushing sand around as though he were looking for something._ 'I have to keep trying.'_ She thought walking over to him. "Hi Locke," She crouched next to him. "What are you doing?"

He looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. "You sure are acting weird, if there's something you wanna say, just say it?" He said waiting to hear the explanation.

"I...uh...um." She stammered out.

"Locke? Come on, we're gonna get something to eat for tonight, care to join us?!" Edgar shouted across the beach to him.

"Yeah!" Locke stood up brushing the sand from his pants. "See you later, Celes." He ran down the sand towards the guys.

_'Thanks a lot Edgar.'_ She grumbled to herself crossing her arms. "I wish that old saying of mine still went... What happened to the soldier that wouldn't dream of becoming some love starved twit?" She said out loud then finished her thoughts._ 'Ha, she never dreamed she'd meet him.'_

The men were at the other side of the beach tossing out pieces of string attached to food little bits of food or bugs off the ground, which Cyan and Edgar were not about to touch. They're going to have sea food tonight.

"Now, I shall show thee the perfect cast." He exampled tossing his home made line out into the water.

The others whistled lowly in awe.

"I can do that." Sabin said exampling his awesome skills as well. "Learned that when I was a boy who left home- I did a lot of fishing." He bragged.

Setzer and Locke perfectly executed their lines as well, while Edgar was having some trouble. "Who throws the line anyway?" He asked pulling the string from his hair as he walks it to the water. "You have to do it with patients and instincts..." He placed it down and turned to the others. "You see, all in placement."

They shook their heads stifling laughter that the mighty "ladies man" can't fish.

"Fine, fine you laugh now, but, when the girls and I are eating fish fit for a king tonight, rather than a tiny kipper from a loud mouth muscle bound, gambling, sword swinging, _thief_." He said jokingly but they didn't look the least bit offended they even joined in the joke. "You'll be eating your words, what do you say to that?"

"I'd say that treasure hunter, is a pretty handsome and interesting guy." Locke said.

"Yeah," Setzer, Sabin, and Cyan agreed with Locke, though in regards to their own description.

They had stayed out there catching dinner half the day while the girls had wandered away on the beach to watch the sun set.

"Terra... Can I talk to you?" Celes asked moving a shell around under her foot.

"Sure, anytime?" When she began Terra cut her off pointing to the guys. "Look at all the fish Edgar's catching!" She ran over to get a closer look and Celes stared at the setting sun one last moment, then, half-heartedly joined the enthusiastic crowd.

"What was that you said about not being and expert?" He said with a huge smile.

The others stood back watching with sour faces at their lifeless lines drifting on the water. Terra laughed as she looked at his haul.

"Good job, Edgar..." She congratulated him with a pat on the shoulder.

"Thank you." he beamed handsomely, as golden as the setting hues of sunlight. "Who's hungry?"

They had set up camp in a cave that night because no one would get any sleep on the airship with Setzer in the engine room fixing it and Edgar fixing his weapons.

"What's that smell?" Locke asked scooting closer to the food.

"It's fish Locke..." Terra had said stating the obvious.

"I know that Terr', I meant that other smell," He looked down at the pan of fish seeing what he already knew was there. Yup, just as he thought. Mushrooms.

"Eeeuw, Why'd you guys put that on there?" He asked. His mouth moved in a silent declaration of bleh!

"Locke, Alexander, Cole.. for heaven's sake, it's just a few mushrooms. You can pick them o-." Terra was cut off by Locke's extra loud fake sick noises. They laughed at his display in behavior.

"What am I supposed to eat now?" The thief asked.

"Really Locke, it's not that hard to pick them off." Celes said.

"They already tainted it, it's too late." He replied.

"Fine, then yee won't eat with us." Cyan chuckled under his mustache, biting into his fish and a very large mushroom.

"Here, you can have mine." Terra said, "I haven't cooked it yet, see?" She held it out to him. "No taint."

Locke flashed her a great smile of a thanks; Celes looked annoyed. "Thanks, I mean, if you don't mind the wrath of mushrooms.. I guess I could take it." He thanked her again and she waved it off.

"I'm gonna get the others." Celes said standing and leaving the cave, but, no one noticed. She walked onto the ship and into the engine room. "Guys, dinner is ready if you're hungry, and don't like cold food."

"Thanks, Celes. We'll be right there." Edgar was saying as they stood from the sound of her voice, they began to wipe their hands on an old rag that was in a bucket of water they got from the ocean.

"Can I ask you something?" She said nervously. They looked at her to show her that she had their attention. "You like me right?" She finally said after a long pause.

"Sure," they said instantly.

"You're like one of the guys," Setzer said.

"You're fun." Edgar replied with a shrug.

"One of the guys. Fun. Thanks... uh, you'd better hurry, don't want our share gone." She smiled sweetly and turned away then looked back at them. "And, thank you."

They smiled a response and joined her on the way out to the cave.

That night.

Everyone was asleep except for the girls, they had stayed up talking to each other quietly until they felt tired enough to fall asleep.

"Do you really think we can stop this war from starting?" Celes asked.

"I'm not sure," Terra was saying. "to me... it feels like there is no war intended, like they're just trying to lure us out of hiding and kill us any way they can." They thought about that comment a moment. Very unsettling. Death in battle is one thinb, but merely yanked out to slaughter...

"Hey, I don't wanna talk war anymore, I wanna talk about something else." Celes said with an un-seen smile in the darkness.

"Like what?" Terra leaned up on her elbows looking at where Celes's voice was coming from.

"Like, girl things," She replied with a shrug.

"Really? I always thought you hated that sort of thing?" Terra replied, but Celes shook her head.

In the back of the cave the guys had been awake listening to them talk and were very fascinated by what they had to say.

"Well, uh..." Terra said uneasily. "How do you start one of these things?"

"Hmm? Of the guys now... Who do you think is the most appealing?" Celes asked.

The guys stifled laughter but were listening with pricked ears, as they tried to silently calm one another.

"Appeal?" Terra wondered.

"Attractiveness?" Celes cleared it up for the Esper girl.

"I think they all have really good qualities but the most appealing... I think is..." the words hung in her throat, nervous that Celes would laugh.

"Well? Don't be shy, it's just us listening." She pushed her for the answer.

"It's Setzer."

Celes busrt into laughter, quiet laughter, so not to disturb the sleeping guys. Terra blushed, hushing her so she wouldn't wake them.

"I'm sorry, Terr', but why him?" The ex-general asked.

"Well... he's brave, and sweet, and he tried to save me when the ship was breaking up back then. Even now, it seems like he tries to silently take care of me. And, I don't know, I think that his white hair is appealing.." Terra replied hiding her face further in the already dark cave.

"I think it makes him look funny, he's too young for it. Plus he has all those awful scars on his face."

Terra shook her head disagreeing. "I think it gives character... So, what about you?" She asked feeling uncomfortable that Celes had laughed.

"Well, he's handsome, dashing, sweet, and is a great conversationalist."

Edgar smiled proudly hearing that, waiting for his name, but instead she said.

"Locke."

They laughed at him, but Locke was surprised to hear that.

"...I kinda guessed you did." Terra said simply.

"What gave it away?" Celes asked curiously.

"Well, it's how you talk to him, you know? Like you can barely look at him."

Celes made a sound that meant 'Oh.'

_'She likes me?'_ Locke thought to himself. _'Who knew.'_

"Okay, now that we know that, who do you think has the best smile aside from the guy you like?"

Terra had thought for moment than answered. "Sabin, it's really sweet. Dashing." This was fun. Terra had never had girl talk before. She's glad it's one on one, it makes it less uneasy to be heard from a crowd.

"I think Cyan, he has success behind his smile." Celes answered easily.

Terra nodded to agreed with her.

"And who can forget about Edgar?" Celes was saying. "Everything about him is really handsome, his face is nicely detailed."

"Yeah..." Terra said with a slight tone of affection for a friend she's known a couple of months longer than her having met the others.

Edgar raised his head in pride again to the sound of that. The girls had talked until they began to yawn.

"It was really nice talking to you Celes, but we need to get some rest for tomorrow." Terra was saying snuggling in under her sleeping bag.

"Yeah. Good night, Terra." She settled in as well.

"Good night."

The girls fell soundly to sleep and the guys laughed quietly.

"Who would have guessed, huh?" Sabin was saying in a low whisper.

"Yeah, I honestly didn't think they thought much of any of us." Setzer said.

"Well, I knew all along, ladies can't resist my charm." Edgar said still full in the head.

"What does this mean, sirs?" Cyan asked.

"I think it means we shouldn't have heard that conversation and should go to sleep." Locke said turning in his sleeping bag ready for a rest.

"What's wrong with you?" Sabin was asking.

"Nothing, I just think it was kinda wrong for us to spy like that." The thief answered.

They felt there was something more there, but, didn't bother with it and took his advice going into a deep sleep. A dark figure appeared in the light at the mouth of the cave.

"Now the fun begins." It said sinisterly, its shadow hovering over Terra.


	8. Battle on

The next morning they were packing their things and sticking them back into their sacks to leave.

"Where are we heading today, Edgar?" Celes asked.

Edgar looked at her smiling, trying to show off his best features. "Vector." He replied with a regal tone; she raised her eye brows at his behavior but shook it off.

"So soon?" The ex-general asked walking beside him to the ship.

"Well, we have to attack some time; we can't sit around waiting for the Empire to come and get us- or the townspeople." Edgar answered and she nodded and walked onto the flying vessel.

"This should be an interesting trip, sirs." Cyan was saying walking over in a gradual pace, but he doesn't make it on because a bird flew over to him. "What is this now?" He asked himself taking a slip of paper from a ring around a carrier bird's ankle. As he read it to himself his eyes widened. "Oh no!" He shouted out loud.

"What is it?" They asked in a murmur as their attention was called to him.

"Look upon this, sirs." He showed it to Edgar.

_Your Highness,_

_The castle is being invaded._  
_The forest had been making_  
_some type of sounds in the night._  
_We went to check it out and got_  
_attacked, we need your help._

_Your trusty soldiers._

Their expressions voiced their shock.

"You have to go save them!" Sabin declared; ready to send him off with not a moment's hesitation.

"But how shall I get there in time?" The swordtech specialist asked, he was hurt inside, they could hear every strain in his voice trying to sound normal, but, they didn't know what to do.

"I've got an idea!" Locke said with a finger raised as though asking for permission, they looked to him with question. "Setzer could take him back to Doma and help him, while we keep on the trail. Then, he can come back and join us at Vecter."

They thought about the possibility of his plan working then agreed to what he had suggested.

"Setzer will you do it?" Edgar asked.

"No need to ask me, I'm already there." The gambler saluted responding.

"Guys," Terra was saying staggering forwards. "I don't feel... so well." She collapsed on the ground.

"Terra?!" They cried out; Setzer lifted her head off the ground into his arms while Celes checked her pulse.

"She's still alive, she has a good pulse."

"I wonder what's wrong with her?" Sabin said.

"Sirs, thou art just as worried, but, I really must be going." Cyan said impatiently.

"Oh, yes of course," Setzer handed her to Edgar who picked her up and took her back to the cave. "Let's be off then." They boarded the ship. With one quick wave from Cyan and a concerned glance from the pilot, they were inside and on their way.

"Hey Terra, wake up... Come on?" Celes was saying.

"I laid out her sleeping bag, put her here." Locke said smoothing it out.

They walked her over to the sleeping bag and lay her down.

"I wonder what could be wrong?" Sabin whispered as if she might be offended if she heard him any louder than a whisper.

"Maybe it was the fish we ate?" Celes threw out an explaination.

"Or maybe it was the mushrooms, her's had them on it." Locke said staring at the Esper girl.

"I don't know, but, she can't stay here... it's not safe for her health or her physical status, someone might find her when we're gone." Edgar said standing.

"We're leaving her behind?!" Celes asked bewildered.

"Of course not!" Edgar exclaimed, walking out of the cave looking in each direction.

"Well how will we get her into a town? We can't carry her the whole way." She asked.

"We won't have to," Edgar was saying. "We can rent a Chocobo and ride with her to town, it's easier than on foot and safer too."

"We couldn't just wait for Setzer to come back?" Celes asked hoping he'd change his mind.

"We can't count on that, Celes," Sabin butted-in. "I'm going with Edgar to find some birds, you guys stay here, okay?" He ordered in a non-commanding tone.

"Yeah, sure." Locke said quietly.

"O-..." She stammered out. "O-kay."

They promised to return soon and ran out leaving them, alone.

...

The airship flew high over the skies and came into the landing fields near Doma.

"Look there!" Cyan shouted pointing downward.

They looked into the forest the best they could; there was a battle going on in there along with the fields that led to the castle.

"I'm bringing her down!"

Setzer flew lower to the ground, when the vessel touched grass the pair were already out the door and right into the middle of the battle field, the Blackjack flew a distance and settled on the ground. Setzer reached into his coat pocket and threw cards at some rushing soldiers knocking them injured to the ground.

Cyan, using his swordtech ran through some troops using his quadra slice slashing six men in half.

"Your highness, you've returned!" One of his men shouted when seeing him.

"They've arrived!" A Templer Guard shouted to his troops. "Kill them!"

There was an uproar from both crowds as they charged the two of them, Cyan's men tried to defend them the best they could, but, were unsuccessful.

"Yah!" Cyan yelled slamming into one of the men.

"Ah!" Setzer was jumped by three men, he managed to punch one of them back before he went down.

"Aaaah-Aaaahh!" Another of them staggered backward with a doom dart stuck in his chest and he fell to the ground. Dead.

The other one got into a strangling contest with the gambler and they rolled across the grass looking for upper advantage power. Two of Cyan's men slashed two soldiers into pieces but were attacked by four more in the process.

"Setzer, over there!" Cyan shouted a command to him.

Setzer looked in the direction he pointed and dug his foot into the man on top of him kicking him over his body, when he stood up he tossed five darts at them having direct hit with the soldiers killing them on contact. The gambler kicked one of the soldiers coming at him in the stomach and ducked from another attacking to his left.

Cyan spun his sword around using his stunner attack. The men froze for a brief moment, but, began to move again within seconds, as the battle went on; nearby someone was watching them closely through the cover of the thick wooded area, studying their every move. As the battle came to an end Cyan lifted his sword directly to the sky and brought down upon them a mighty Cleave! He swung his sword downward to the ground then back up to the sky flipping backward vanishing all the men left in the field. Setzer was already running towards the forest and Cyan does the same.

When they got there, Setzer grabbed a branch swinging himself around it kicking a soldier in the dismount, but he got punched in the face from a surprise attack behind him when he turned around. Cyan grabbed a branch snapping it in a soldiers face to give him a slight stun, then he punched him in the jaw. The battle went on fiercely and finally it was over.

They were panting heavily as they looked around the forest for strays, but there were none.

"You fought splendidly, sir." Cyan smiled at him shaking his hand.

"Thank you, you weren't so bad yourself, old man." Setzer glanced over his shoulder at his ship and turned back to Cyan. "Listen, Cyan..." He was cut off by him.

"No need to explain, you go on back to the cave and help out Terra and the others, they may need you... I'll join you later, but for now I believe my place is here, sir."

The gambler patted him on the shoulders and went off to get his ship.

0 0 0

"Locke?" Celes started to ask him.

_'Oh no, here it comes.'_ He thought.

She looked him in the eyes, but he evaded it by looking at Terra, then a pile of rocks nearby.

"I wanted to tell you something for the longest time and... well... I think _now_ would be the perfect time to do it. No interruptions, no distractions..." Celes still paused a moment. "Locke I think that I like you, a lot more than a friend..." She looked at his face then continued. "I thought a lot about this and I wanted to let you know, because when something is just _that_ important you let it out... right?"

The thief didn't say a word, he just looked at the rocks.

"What do you think?" Celes asked waiting for his response, but as he opened his mouth the others returned with the birds and map of the land they were on.

"Ready to go?" Edgar asked.

"Yes." Locke said standing and picking up Terra in the process. He walked by them quietly after that.

Sabin and Edgar shrugged to each other and walked out. Celes sighed deeply and followed.

"How close is the nearest town?" Locke asked.

"Miranda." Edgar nodded in it's general direction. "Up the back roads a few miles from here. We better travel fast so we can get her to a bed and some cleaner water."

They hurried along, not saying much, but stopping every once in a while to check the map, and allow the birds to rest. Once they made it there they dismount, and leave the birds in the stables inside.

"Here's a very large amount of money, see that this girl is taken complete care of, you got it!" Edgar threatened with Sabin's brawn combined with his own to back him, and his brother cracked his knuckles.

"You got it," the innkeeper stammered in terror. "best room in the place. Bring her in room 205, here's the key." He said handing it over.

"Thank you, my good man." Edgar said.

The group walked her into the room and lied her down on the bed to rest.

"You take care of yourself, okay?" Edgar said, rubbing her head with a cool towel.

"We better get back to the mission, cause this has gone on for too long!" Locke said getting angry.

"Whao whao, buddy calm down. What's wrong with you?" Sabin asked.

"I... I don't know, I'm just tired of all this fighting; Terra was right; we need this done and over with so we can get back to the simple things like... sleeping in the field and enjoying being a hopeless flirt, flying around and what have you, not sitting here hoping a friend survives..." Locke tried to pass by them but Edgar pushed him back lightly and shook his head.

"You're far to angry to pay any attention to what you're doing, you're staying here." The king insisted, but Locke tried to fight back verbally with protest and lost.

"Just let me know if you need any help, okay?" Locke said to them as they were leaving.

"We promise, bye Locke." Edgar said.

"Bye." He replied

"Good bye, Locke." Celes said personally.

"See you..." He turned back into the village and went into the inn with Terra.

Night had fallen and try to as he might, Locke couldn't stay awake, so the thief closed his eyes and fell asleep on the chair leaning across to the pillow on the bed. The figure walked into the room and stood over Terra again.

"Now, the games will begin." Her eyes scrunched as he moved in closer.

"No," Her voice tried to yell. "No. All my friends, the ghost... They're gonna die..." Tears fell from her eyes as the figure broke into evil laughter, and it leaned into the lamps dim light. Kefka!

Locke snapped his eyes open to the sound of something breaking. "What the...?" He looked blurry eyed across the room, when he cleared them he saw Terra making her way across the room.

"Wait! Where are you going?!" He got up and followed the Esper girl, but she was moving so fast.

Locke ran down the hall of the inn as fast as his legs would carry him, when he was able to catch up to her he reached for her arm and she froze with a haunting laugh. "Terra...?" He questioned that it might not be her.

The green haired girl, laughed long and hard. Okay, possibly not Terra. The thief didn't know what to do so he ran, but she began to follow him flying through the halls, barely a vision behind his head. Locke ducked into a room and found himself outside in the fields, he let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm safe." He walked out farther into the open to hide himself incase she made it outside too.

It was dark, hardly anything was visible despite the moon shining broughtly down on the land_. 'Where am I?'_ The thief wondered and he heard a noise, a familiar stomping sound_. 'It can't be?'_ He thought to himself.

When Locke turned around to look for where the noise was coming from and what it was but he didn't like what he saw. Doom Phantoms! Locke ran through the field having a flash of deja'vu and hoped that the shack would have been rebuilt, but it wasn't there.

'_Shoot!'_ He thought. _'...I can't keep running from them, I'd never last... but what?'_ He had to think fast, they were rushing down on him, so he stood his ground.

The others were in the middle of a ghost fight themselves. The group of Edgar, Sabin, and Celes were still on their way out of the area when they were attacked. One of them dropped Celes, after lifting her to the sky. "Aaah!" She screamed falling from the sky but Sabin caught her. "Thank you," She said.

"Watch out!" The blitz specialist yelled, though he was still holding her. Sabin swung her around his body attempting to hurt the ghost but the kick went right through it. "This isn't working." He swung her out of his arms in one move and used his aura bolt the ghost was hit but the hole repaired itself and it came back for more.

Edgar was shooting at high speed with his drill but it missed and was hit the mountain side instead, causing an avalanche. "Watch out!" The king shouted. They ran for cover and the ghost faded there forms to avoid the rocks and boulders. "There's too many, fall back!" Edgar shouted.

They took cover inside a cave but the ghost flew around looking for them so the Rturners headed to the back of the cave.

"We should be safe in here..." Sabin said, but little blue lights appeared in the cave's entrance and they kept moving so they wouldn't be seen.

Flying in his airship to return to the others, Setzer looked around him.

_'The night came so quickly'_ He thought. _'What's that light?'_ Leaving the wheel on auto-pilot, the gambler went to the tip of the ship for a better look. There was a tiny blue light flickering down below._ 'Could be someone who needs help,'_ He thought. _'better go down and have a look.'_

Setzer went back to the wheel and steered the ship towards the ground, as he got closer he saw a face appear behind a blue mist.

"What is that?" The gambler thought out loud.

There was a low plea coming from the light. "Help me Setzer..."

_'Terra?'_ He wondered. Remembering what the others had said when they first met, about her weird behavior sometimes; perhaps this was the effect of her magic.

"Help me." She said, and flew into the air.

"Wait!" He called out following her. At one point he turned the lights on but he had to shut them off again because he couldn't see her through the gleam._ 'Where is she taking me?'_

The glow flew fast and he almost had a hard time keeping up, but he had. Faster and faster they went until. "Hahahahaa." She laughed disappearing.

"Terra... Wha-.!" Setzer pulled up on the wheel, he had nearly smacked into a mountain and as he tightly flew the ship up into the air to avoid it the bottom scraped up against the mountain side, but, it came out of it fine. _'That_ _was weird, I wonder why she would do that? Unless of course it wasn't her, but who could do something like that?'_

The gambler wondered as he re-leveled the ship. He saw another field on the other side of the mountain, and... is that... Locke! He's under attack! Setzer flew the ship down and headed towards him.


	9. Another world

In Thamasa.

Relm wakes up and sees Gau sitting across from her, it caused a gasp and she jumped from the unexpected visitor; he smiled at her.

"Gau come back, he know friend Relm going through tough time. Gau have many of those, too."

She can tell he was really trying to talk to her normally; she kept his company and responded with a smile of sympathy.

"I'm sorry, but, I'm glad you came back, Gau... I was getting kinda lonely, watching grandpa all by myself..." Her words trailed off as she looked across the room.

"What wrong friend Re-... Aaaahh!"

Three grim, ghastly figures floated across the room pointing to the both of them and the old man.

"Wha-... What are they?" Gau wondered.

"We've come for your souls" One of them said evilly, "first him, then youuuu"

The voice rang through her ears like death; she took out her paint brush and a mithril rod. "Over my living body!" She shouted.

Gau jumped up too, getting in battle stance ready to defend Relm to the end.

"There's nothing your tricks can do. You will die, just like your friends."

Her eyes welled up with tears as she thought of them already dead. "Nooooo!" She ran at them swinging as hard as she could, but, it was impossible to hit them with her wand, Relm tried to paint their pictures, but, they came up blank.

"Gau will stop them," He used one of his rages from the Rhinotaur, the mimic came out after a leap, but the bolt wouldn't work.

"Prepare for your doooom!" The haunting voice called to them. "Nowhere to run." It said.

"Nowhere to hide." Another one.

"Blood. Bloood!"

Relm and Gau held each other screaming, but a breeze flew by and one of the ghost cried out in a horrible pain. As it vanished in a puff of smoke they looked through the dusty remains of it to see... "Shadow!?" They cried out to him.

"You want a fight, fight with me." The ninja said looking at them from the side of his eye standing visible in the light. They look unharmed, so far. The phantoms turned their attention towards him and he was ready for battle. Shadow took out a long Holy sword and ran into the fight.

The phantoms rushed at him! Ghostly fingers pointed and sharp-tipped reached for him, as they swarmed over Shadow's head moaning. One of the ghastlies made pay-dirt when he swung at another slicing it in half. The sharp nails dug in on the grab of his arm.

"Ah!" Voiced the ninja; t burned terribly, but that wasn't _his_ yell of pain.

Relm came rushing at the ghost, fit to kill! But it went invisible so the attacks weren't even touching it.

"Nice try little one," it laughed in it's throat, "however, a futile attempt. Try to beat this."

A phantom chill blew about in the room; it creates more of them flying around the room. The ghost had to return to it's visible form and it picked up Shadow, hovering him over their heads. Using this chance to touch the ghost he flipped his legs up over its head before it could become untouchable again and slammed it down on the floor.

"Relm, use your heal rod!" Shadow shouted.

She screamed covering her head from the shower of swipes aimed down at her. Running over to a chest where she kept her things, it took her longer to open the chest she located the rod that quickly. "I got it!" Raising it over her head she started into the fight.

Shadow slashed the ghost into time and space with iron senbon while Relm used her rod to blow them up.

Gau stood back watching then it hit him! "Gau help too!"

A flash went up through the room the ghost screamed in pain of the light and disappeared for a brief moment, they still had energy even from a flash that strong. Relm wasn't expecting it and was blinded a second, she swung wildly to protect herself in the moment she couldn't see and her vision returned and she joined the fight again.

Shadow flipped through the air cutting a barrage of attacks at the ghost, they disappeared but again more came. Gau kept using his flash on them doing some stronger damage with each time he performed it.

_'Something isn't right.'_ Shadow thought while fighting another of the ghost that flew up to him._ 'There must be a reason they keep coming back?'_ He swung his sword skillfully as he cut through the crowd going into a back room. The door slammed shut behind him. _'What the-?!'_

There was a huge spirit sitting in the middle of the room, it was floating there, pale and blue, with it's eyes closed. Shadow walked up to it none to cautiously and went in for the attack. The ghost opened it's red eyes and faded out missing the swords blade. Smoke swirled in the room taking them into another dimension.

In the other room the ghost are endless when Relm noticed. "Shadow's gone!" The little artist said, scared

"Relm? Grandpa leave!" Gau pointed at the door where Strago was heading out of.

"Grandpa wai-...! Ahhhh!" The ghost picked her up. "Gau help!" He said, ready to use his flash again. "No, help my grandpa!"

Gau ran over to the old man but Strago turned and bashed him against the wall with an energy blast and continued out the door.

"No!" she struggled to get free.

He walked straight to a ghost idling in a corner; it smiled evilly pooling itself into the old man's mouth and he dropped lifelessly to the floor once it was completely consumed.

"No! Grandpa!" In the next room. The ghost had rammed into Shadow so hard he heard a crack! He kept on fighting though, as fast and hard as he could.

His efforts were useless, the entity is going to kill him! Shadow sat in the middle of the room with his legs crossed as though he were going to wait for his death in meditation, but when the ghost flew at him he threw down a smoke bomb that burst into five little balls of light. The room now blinding in light and smoke was easier to see in, Shadow saw the Demon struggling with his shape and form, he shifted in and out of the afterlife so he took his chance.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" A ghastly cry went out as an arm writhed on the floor. "Ohhhhhh!" He screamed again losing another one, the light had begun to fade so Shadow moved in for the kill.

"Yyyyyyyaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!" The sword went though the ghost's forehead killing it in a bloody mess. Blood? Was it dead or alive. Shadow leaned over the dying pile of rags and half human flesh. "You can't kill someone whose already dead." He whispered. The ghost had vanished and he joined the others. The room was empty they had faded with the head ghost. _'Just images.'_ The ninja thought and heard a faint sound of crying in the corner of the room and went to it.

"Why did he have to die Shadow?" Relm said holding the man on her lap crying into his clothes.

Shadow looked down at her but said nothing.

Gau recovered from the blast and crawled over to her. "Relm? Gau is-..."

Shadow put his hand up to silence him. "Leave her alone."

And they do.

0 0 0

"All my friends..." Terra was saying as she talked in her sleep. Kefka had vanished into the night leaving her asleep, dreaming. "N-nooo, don't let them die," tears fell from her eyes. "They're not strong enough..."

0 0 0

In the field with Locke, he's standing his ground although he's covering his head. "I'm not afraid of you!" He shouted hearing a loud sound rush upon him, then he heard a familiar voice. "I'm not afraid of you either." Locke was lifted into the air and dropped down on a solid floor.

"What hap-.." He opened his eyes seeing Setzer lend a hand to help him up. "What happened, where are the ghost soldiers?" The thief asked him standing up.

"I believe they disappeared. I didn't see anything but you standing in a field with your head covered." Setzer looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah ha ha." Locke replied. "Where are the others, do you know?"

Setzer shook his head taking the wheel. "But we can go look for them, hang on we're going up." Locke followed him to the upper deck, grabbing the rail and the nose of the ship went into the air.

0 0 0

"Can anyone see where we're going?" Celes asked.

"No. However, I don't see the ghost anymore." Edgar responded, they slipped around a corner feeling their ways along side the wall.

"It's official," Sabin was saying.

"What?" They asked.

"I hate caves, they're dark, dirty, and there's always some awful distant dripping sound.."

"Ssssshhhhh!" Edgar silenced him and held out a hand to keep him that way. "Do you hear that?" He asked them.

The two listened closely for what he had heard but there was nothing. Wait! There came a clear sound of a voice.

"Yeah, what is that? You think the Empire has a base here, too?" Sabin asked.

Edgar nodded and motioned for them to follow him around the corner. When they rounded the curve in the wall, there was a shift in gravity.

"Did you guys feel that?" Celes asked, but then she looked around and noticed she wasn't in the cave anymore.

"How did I get in the Opera house?" She asked herself out loud.

"Time for you to go on my dear!" Ompresario called to her in the distance.

"Wait, how did I get here? Ompresario, come back!" She called to him, but he didn't hear her. _'Oh no.'_ She thought, _'Where is everyone?'_

She turned back to the mirror staring at her reflection, she was dressed to perform in something that was for sure. Her hair curled in long sausage links, filled with ribbon and gold pins.

_'Maybe we've gone back in time?'_ She thought just as the door opened and someone walked in.

"Come on Celes, the show must go on." A quiet voice spoke. "Don't forget your lines." It was Locke!

"Locke, something weird is going on, we have to find our way back to the right time period." She exclaimed to him.

"What are you talking about, we have to wait for Setzer to come and get you, remember? Don't be ridiculous, now let's go." The thief turned and left.

"Wait!" She called out to him, running to the door to chase after him, but, he was already gone. "Oh, Locke," She put her head down sadly thinking she lost him.

But, then he called down the hall to her. "Celes, did you forget which way!? Come on!" Locke turned again and left.

Celes turned and ran to him. "Locke wait!"

But he wouldn't, he was gone. She slowed her pace and walked behind the curtains. Music started up and she stepped onto the balcony._ 'How did I get here?'_ She wondered. _'Maybe, none of that stuff ever happened; I've been knocked out, unaware that I was dreaming.'_ She tried very hard to make sense of things then the words came out of her mouth.

Oh my hero,  
So far away now,  
will I ever see your smile?  
love goes away, like night into day  
it's just a fading dream...

She walked to the balcony holding a bunch of flowers in her hands.

_'This_ _has to be a dream...'_ She thought and then turned around to wait for Draco, but, when the door opened she wasn't faced with an actor.

There was a low growl in his throat, Draco is a monster!

Her flowers turned into a sword and Count Draco took his from it's sheath. They began to sword fight and the others were standing around, watching, and cheering him on.

"Woo!" Locke said clapping.

"Stab her good!" Edgar shouted.

Sabin and the others whistled for him.

"Stop this...! You guys, help me!" Celes pleads.

But no one helped her and Draco was fighting like a madman! She fought back the best she could, but, failed. Her sword went flying from her hands and smashed against a wall. Draco swung at her, backing her up to the edge of the castle top. Celes's back was leaning over the railing of the balcony and she was trying scoot to the side, but, Draco slammed the sword down at her sides every time she moved in a direction and finally he was going for the middle prize.

The others began to lust for her blood. "Knock her off! Knock her off!"

Tears ran down her face. "What are you guys saying?" Celes asked.

"We're saying we're sick of you, and you're wannabe ways" Edgar said.

"Yeah," Sabin followed in. "All you do is run around complaining; time for the end." He laughed deeply.

"I never liked you" Locke said. "You were just a tag-along!"

_'Noooo,'_ She thought looking at her friends pointing fingers at her. '_That can't be true, I know you guys don't feel this way! I know you Locke, you're the one that saved me.'_ She had a brief flash of the first time they had ever met; when she was locked away in the prison under a house. '_He came to me, when he didn't even know me... he wouldn't say these things_.'

"Oh, but I am." Locke said with an evil sneer taking the sword from Draco. "And now I'm gonna show you what your friendship really means to me." The actor raised the sword and dropped it down over her head.

Instead of waiting to get hit... she jumped. "Aaaaahhhhh!"

They all threw their heads back with laughter.

"Aaaahhhh!" She hit the ground.

In the cave, in the real world.

"Celes?" They looked down at her lying there.

"What happened to her?" Sabin asked.

"I don't know," Edgar knelt down and shook her. "Celes wake up!"

"Wake up, Celes!" Sabin joined in, but she wouldn't move. "Edgar..." Sabin's voice was serious. "She doesn't have a pulse..."

"No... no, come on Cel' get up!" He looked at her with shock. Is she really dead? "We have to get her to some help, give me a hand." He began to lift her with no assistance. "Sabin?" He asked. He couldn't hear him he was shifting between time.

In Miranda.

"Celes.." Terra was saying. "No, you can't be dead. Wake up... No. Not Sabin too... Someone help him."

0 0 0

"How did I get at home?" Sabin asked looking around. He walked around the halls of the first floor until he heard the sound of voices above him. "That must be where everyone is."

He walked upstairs and was pushed aside by men rushing in and out of the king's room.

"Oh no, Edgar!"

He ran to his room to see what had happened to his brother, but, when he got there...

"What is this-?" He asked walking into the room seeing his father lying on the bed in pain.

"Sabin, thank Goddess you're here." Edgar said turning to see his brother by the door. "I think father has lived his last day." He said sadly.

"What are you talking about? That's not our father, he's already..." Sabin caught his words seeing Edgar's angry expression. "I'm sorry, what- what do you want me to do?" He asked.

"Come with me." Edgar walked up to the roof, Sabin took one last look at the man in the bed.

'_It just can't be? I must have been in a fight and got knocked out- yeah, that must be it.'_

He turned away to join his brother on the roof for a conversation he knew was coming.

"You wanted to see me?" The blitz specialist said humouredly

"Yes." Edgar was tight and serious.

"What about?" He took a guess. "Who gets to be king and who has to run away and be banished for life, because if so- I take the banishment..."

"What are you talking about? Could you for once in your life be serious?!" Edgar shouted angrily.

"Geez. What's your problem?" Sabin asked backing off of him. "You'd think this was a life or death, situation or something." Edgar turned to him with a sad expression.

"It is." Edgar said.

"What are you talking about?" Sabin asked crossing his arms in defense. "There has been a new rule passed, once the king goes; if he has two or more sons, then the one whose more trustworthy lives, while the others die..." Edgar said turning away again.

"What kind of ridiculous rule is that?" Sabin asked him. "Why would anyone agree to it?!" He demanded to know.

Edgar looked up at the stars with his heart full of sadness from what he knew was coming.

"Brother, this rule was passed by our father; he didn't want us to tear each other apart for the throne." Edgar replied.

"But that's just it. There is no need to kill me- I don't want the throne. I'll gladly leave." Sabin said walking up to Edgar, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"I know you do." He said.

"No, you're not listening, I _don't_ want it!" He nearly shouted into his ear but Edgar wasn't listening to him. A group of the Empire's soldiers came out onto the roof standing behind them.

"What are they doing here?" Sabin said bewildered getting into battle stance.

"No need to fight them brother, they're the executioners. Once I give the flip of this coin, you will die." an evil sneer than spread across hi lips. "Long," Edgar took out the coin.

"No." Sabin protested.

"Live," he got ready to flip it into the air.

"Don't do it!" Sabin shouted.

"This king." He flipped the coin into the air.

"Noooooo!" He tried to stop it but the soldiers had already opened fire. Killing him.

In the cave. In the real world.

Sabin looked as though he were going to throw up at any second. Edgar turned around and barely saw him through the dim light.

"Sabin? What's wrong? Say something!" He crawled over to him and shook him as well. "No, you can't be hurt, too!" Tipping over him, he listens to his heart beat, it was fading fast. "Hang in there, I'll get you guys out of here." He looked around for something to help him get them all out. "Some how?" He finished his thoughts.

X x X

Commentary: gotta admit I'm a little cranky, I put my blood, sweat, and tears into my Fantasy ficus and this one gets more love? Lol, maybe I'm working too hard now adays. I'm glad you all like it. Have a good one.


	10. Bury 'em all

The airship is roaming through the sky over the quiet land. Its occupants, however...

"Where are you taking us? We need to go find the others?" Locke shouted through the gusts of wind.

"We're going back for Terra, then we'll go find the others." Setzer was saying. "It would take a lot more time to locate them off the top of our heads than to find her."

Locke couldn't argue with that, but he still replied with, "Listen, I know you have feelings for her now, but, the others could be in trouble."

Setzer thought for a moment about it and turned the ship around. "You're right. It would be a tragedy if something was to happen to the-..." His words stopped midway as he looked out into the darkness. "It can't be?" The gambler whispered, seeing a familiar face flying beside him in the Falcon.

"Come on Setzer, let's see what that hunk of junk is made out of!" Daryl shouted.

"Oh ho, you're on, hot shot." He replied flying the Black Jack II after her.

"What are you doing?" Locke asked, watching Setzer get off their course while he talked to himself. "The guys went that way, remember?" He pointed.

Setzer couldn't hear him though he was flying straight towards a mountain range and didn't look as though he were going to stop.

"Come on, Setzer!" Daryl called to him.

"Setzer listen to me! What the hell are you doing?!" Locke was shouting now and was beginning to think they were actually going to fly straight into the mountain.

"Look! There's the finish line!" The woman shouted, "Better catch up!"

Setzer flipped a few switches on the mast getting the ship to move a lot faster, and after a few seconds he passed her with a laugh. "Now to claim victory!"

There was a flash of the morning light, then the night, and the mountain range. Locke's eyes widened with every second they got closer to it. "We're gonna crash!" The thief ran over to wheel pushing Setzer out of the way. The daydreaming gambler tripped along smacking into an outgrowth of the mountain that brushed along the open-air sides of the ship and it's balloon. The thief hadn't noticed while he turned the wheel as sharply as he could.

The ship's side smashed into the mountain making a horrible scraping sound. Trees that were on it snapped in half, slipping down off the balloons top side, lumbering down the deck. Locke somehow managed to steer it into the woods and made the landing. The thief sank to his knees with a sigh, then looked around for Setzer.

"You idiot! What did you think you were doing?!" He walked over to the gambler and kicked him on the leg. "Come on, get up. We have to get there on foot now cause I think your engine is busted- again." He can't really be sure, as he's not an engineer.

Locke looked the pilot over but he wasn't moving.

"Come on, the landing wasn't that bad; you've probably survived worse right?"

Setzer doesn't make a sound.

"Setzer?" He knelt down and felt for a pulse. "…Goddess.. he's dead."

0 0 0

"Come on you guys, rrrr-ugh." Edgar struggled through the darkness, dragging both Sabin and Celes to the exit. His brother is on his back with his legs across his waist, and she is in his arms being carried. "Don't worry guys, I won't… leave you behind." But they were heavy and weighing him down.

He moved slowly through the darkness, whenever he felt the gravity shifting, he moved into a different direction so he wouldn't slip away like they had. He remembered Celes asking if they felt something, and he didn't know what she meant until he felt it for himself, so whenever he felt it coming he moved in a different direction.

He fell to his knees, dropping her and having him fall back, but he shook his head to clear it before getting back on his feet. "No, I have to keep going… We're gonna make it." He pulled his brother up on his back again and froze; someone was standing in front of him… not meaning to, he let Sabin fall back.

"Who is that?!" Edgar asked.

The figure didn't move, but it stared at him as if curious somehow.

"Whoever you are, you're about to get blasted." He said taking out his auto-crossbow aiming it at the thing, it does the same, but it isn't holding anything. "Drop your weapon, or I'll fire."

Edgar saw that it wasn't advancing, so he dropped his weapon and just started blinking.

'I've been in the dark too long.' He thought leaning back to pick up his brother again.

Again the thing imitated him.

"I know there's someone there, show yourself!" He shouted.

"Okay." A soldier said bashing him over the head.

Edgar had no intention of falling to his knees, and spun around punching the soldier solidly in the jaw. He let out a cry of pain and other soldiers came to his aid, the creature watched him closely.

"Get him!" The soldier said holding his jaw.

Edgar used his new flash, that was now turned into an exploder. He fired with little balls coming out of it when they hit the ground they exploded into mini bombs.

"Aaahh!" They shouted.

"Duck!" Some of them weren't fortunate to duck and another set of balls flew into the air.

"What the...?" Edgar said looking at the figure, had it just imitated him?

"Charge!" More soldiers came and the thing pulled out a five saw throwing chainsaw.

The men screamed and ran from the slicing blades of Edgar's sword slashing into a group of soldiers advancing down on him. He and a soldier were face to face holding swords close together straining against their weight.

Edgar dug his foot into the soldier's stomach pushing him back, he staggered and rushed at him but got stabbed in the stomach; the soldier held onto the sword with his hands and Edgar put his fist together bashing him on top of the head pulling it back out.

"Don't let him get into the base!" He heard a soldier shout.

Setzer's 7-Flush technique lit up the area in glory of rainbow colors.

"Setzer?" It was coming from the figure, and as he stepped into the dim light Edgar could see who it was. Go-Go!

"Go-Go?!"

His heavily clothed companion used the slot again getting a herd of Chocobos to rush forward, knocking out a few soldiers with it. Edgar sprayed them with his Bio Blaster; they covered their eyes as it tore at their flesh, deeply burning their skin. When the soldiers fled, Edgar and Go-Go walked over to each other.

"You're still alive?" He asked the bi-gender.

Go-Go nodded, and Edgar held out a hand for him or her to shake, copying the king they shook hands.

"You can be of more use than you know of, can you give me a hand?" He received a nod.

Edgar picked up his brother and Go-Go grabbed Celes and the two of them made their way through the cave. There was a rumbling beside them.

"What's that sound?!" Edgar asked.

0 0 0

In the forest.

"Mmmman, rrrrr. You're heavy." Locke said to himself. He looked around in both directions and then stopped moving. "I'd like to know where the hell we are?" He bent his knees to scoot him higher up on his back. "Don't get so cozy back there, okay?" He said looking over his shoulder at the top of his head when feeling something stiff poking at his lower back.

Locke walked a distance than tripped and fell to the ground.

"Oh! ...Ooow." He stood up brushing off his clothes then looked down at Setzer. "I can't do this alone; I need to find which way to go." He said out loud to himself and walked away from Setzer.

Wait. He got down on his knees.

"I don't want any sudden drops, better crawl first."

He felt the ground crawling along in silence sweeping his hands back and forth looking for some sign of where they might be. His hand hit a splash of water and he felt a little strength return.

"This must be… the recovery spring!" He splashed some water on himself, then walked over to Setzer. "I don't know how this stuff works on the dead..." He picked him up again. "but it's worth a try, right?" Walking him over to the spring, Locke tossed him in and waited. "Come on, work." He ordered it, but nothing was happening and he let out a sigh. "Please work?"

0 0 0

In Miranda.

Terra is lying in bed still, clinging to her mental life. "Why my friends… Why aren't they strong enough. The phantoms… Are gonna get them now? They can't fight back."

Phantom's swept through the sky going to collect their prizes for Emperor Kefka.

0 0 0

Locke looked up into the sky. "Uh-oh, the ghost are back," He crawled over to the water and slid in. "This is one soul you're not going to take." He saw them getting closer to the surface of the water. 'Time this, Locke. Don't attack until they're all over your head.' He thought.

They circled around to leave the spring, until they felt a slight change in temperature under the water. As they reached in to grab Setzer's body, Locke sprung up and splashed them in the face.

"Aaaahhh!" Some of them shouted, but there were too many and they got him.

"No. Put him down!" He pulled out his weapon, but turned to a tap on the shoulder.

"Time to die."

It took only a gasp of breath and he became possessed. The ghost picked him up and flew him off along with Setzer.


	11. Terra's Judgement

The Imperial Vector.

Kefka is sitting on his throne, looking at the newest additions to his collection of Returners. The phantoms slammed them against the wall chaining them up. Cyan, who had been captured in his dreams about Elaine and Owan had just come in by the Phantom Doom Train and was flown to the wall with the others.

"Emperor Kefka, the others are still out there. What do you want us to about them?" A Templer Guard asked.

"Nothing, you fool, I shall take care of them myself." He gestured for the guard to leave him with them; he does so, as quickly as he can. "My, my, my. Isn't this going to be a lovely reunion, and I owe it all to you, Terra, my dear." Kefka reared his head back and laughed evilly.

In the cave. Things aren't going well for the fighting few. Edgar and Go-Go ran for their lives to avoid a giant tunnel armor from crushing them in it's path.

"This way!" Edgar shouted to him; they ran into a hole in the wall, able to set Sabin and Celes down before they than ran back the way they came in order to fight. "Got any other attacks?"

Go-Go nodded and they got into battle stance. Edgar used his Delaberator to check for the monsters weakness. Ice, Fire, and Thunder. Strong against Poison. Strength at 2803.

Edgar grabbed his Chainsaw and fired at the thing, doing sizeable damage to it. H-Bomb. A mini airship crashed into it blowing up on contact like a bomb. The armor swung at them, bashing them against the wall, Edgar pushed off of it and used his sledge hammer since he was close enough, bashing a hole into the top of its head.

The robot seemed to be breaking down but tiny arms came out and repaired the damage. Go-Go used something else he'd seen the others do and got ready for the attack. A perfect copy of a Schimitor caused an affect. The armor froze for a moment and Edgar bashed another hole in its head. Go-Go backed him up by using one of Sabin's strongest attacks. Bum Rush! The armor didn't stand a chance with them attacking so quickly and it blew its engines out and shut down.

"Alright!" Edgar cheered happily then turned back to the others. "Let's get them out of here, so we can find Locke and the others."

Go-Go followed his lead, but there was no one there.

"Where'd they go?" He asked the silent mimic.

...

"Oh no! The ships aren't running right now." Relm said in panic. "How will we escape those ghost this time?"

"We could try warping?" Shadow said calmly, looking at the abandoned ships.

"Gau wonders why its a ghost town?" Gau said thinking out loud.

"Maybe warping will work, it got you out of the neighbors' house when it was on fire that time." Shadow took out three warp stones, he'd found around town and handed them over to Relm and Gau.

"Gau, you have to learn how to use this?" Asked the ninja.

"It's easy. Think of where you wanna be, and it'll take you there." Relm explained, then looked at Shadow with an approval seeking eye. "Right?"

Shadow doesn't answer he just dropped the warp stone.

"Wait for us!" Relm shouted taking Gau's hand and they tossed them together.

Back at the Imperial base.

"Two down," Kefka was beginning to actually laugh. "and four more to go." He laughed out loud and watched as his men chained them up. "Ah the general, such a sad thought of it, that I actually believed you were useful." A sneer spread across his long, thin lips. The warp stone wore off and they found themselves in the base.

"Where are we?" Relm asked, looking around.

Shadow put a hand out to silence her. "Look." He pointed.

"Oh Goddess, the guys are all chained up." Relm said covering her mouth to make her voice lower.

"Gau sees friends in trouble, he'll help them." He ran out to the middle of the floor.

"No!" Shadow and Relm shouted, but, it was too late they saw him.

"Gau change his mind. Gau scared. Help friend Relm and Shadow!"

They ran out from hiding an jumped into a battle.

"Get them!" Kefka said walking across the cat walk to avoid being seen but it was too late Shadow spotted him and his eyes widened. _'Kefka?! Alive?!'_ He thought.

The demented former God noticed he was caught, so he stopped to watch the fight. Shadow ducked from a swing behind his head and continued in the fight.

Relm made a sketch of a guard sending back his slash attack, but he wasn't down from such a tiny shot. Gau flipped out of the way of danger and blasted them with a Giga Volt. "Aaahh!" The soldiers cried. Shadow used his Fire edge to sweep the room.

The men were screaming running around trying to put themselves out but it was useless, and they fried to death. Kefka laughed loudly at their attempts to win. "Watch this, nuisance!" A white light rose around Kefka, who cast Pearl, and then came soaring down towards them.

"Get out of the way!" Shadow shouted, but, they weren't fast enough.

He looked back at their lifeless bodies and saw the phantoms scoop them up and chain them to the wall.

"Kefka!?" Shadow shouted up to him but Kefka just smiled then he began to spin in his place like a top, Shadow watched in wonder.

"You might sit there in wonder," Kefka was starting to say. "but there will be nothing left from this-" A pause then he fired. "Thunder!" Caught off guard, he was blasted. He struggled through the pain of moving and grabbed a Tack star from his belt and tossed it at Kefka slashing him on the cheek.

"Aaaahhhh!" Kefka screamed. "You idiot! Phantoms drag him away!" They flew down taking his now lifeless body chaining him up as well. "Hurry up and get the other one, his end is near..." Kefka was saying.

0 0 0

"I can't believe we lost them." Edgar was saying to himself. He walked along side of the wall thinking they might have dropped them some place else, but, there was nothing. Go-Go tugged at Edgar's arm and he nodded. "I heard it too, I wonder whose yells those were?"

They followed the sound until it died off.

"Whoever it was is gone..." He shook off the feeling that it might be his brother and waved for his attention. "We should keep going this way anyhow. We might find exactly what we're looking for."

The king walked along silently but he didn't hear the repeated footsteps.

"Go-Go you back there?" He asked.

Nothing. Of course he didn't expect much since he couldn't talk too well, or maybe he can't even speak at all.

_'What could have happened to him?'_ He wondered.

"Same thing that's gonna happen to you." A ghost said.

"No." But the second he opened his mouth the ghost flew inside and possessed him.

"Kefka will be pleased."

The ghost flew them away threw the caves, to the secret entrence of the underground base.

0 0 0

"Come on," Kefka said, smacking Locke in the face. "open those biddy little eyes of yours."

Locke began to groan as he opened his eyes. "Heeey, where am I?"

"Locke?" Celes called to him. He turned his head in the direction of her voice, but he couldn't see her, the place is pitch black.

"And now, let me introduce myself..." He began to walk into a spot light that came on. "Here comes the Grim Reaperrrrr!" He started into some evil laughter seeing there faces.

"Kefka!?"

X x X

"I can't believe you're all here," Kefka shrieked out. "Every last _worthless_ one of you..."

Edgar shook off a dizzy feeling and looked up.

The king shouted. "What do you want, Kefka?!"

"Oh, dear- _King-_ Edgar. Is that all you have to say?" He said almost bragging. "Don't you wanna hear my..." searches for the word. "amazing come back, tale?" They all knelt there, gritting their teeth silently letting Kefka go on with it. "When it all started, Celes was being infused with magic, I myself was undergoing a little... _surgery;_ I had Terra give me a bit of her magic, only somehow something went wrong and our powers ended up- _bonding_." There was an evil sneer across his face as he walked back and fourth in front of them.

"I could feel whenever Terra was around, same as _she_ to _me_. I could control her with one thought and I trained her to be like myself... At first, it worked and she burned that pathetic town to ashes, but, then she broke free of our bond and I had to place the slave device on her head." He stood in front of Locke. "I've been watching you morons run around all the while thinking I was dead, getting your pathetic lives in order... Well look whose just been resurrected." He did the signature Kefka laugh.

"How?" Celes asked angrily.

"Terra might have lost her ability to morph, but, she never lost her magic..." He took a long pause.

"Get on with it!" Edgar shouted. His level of anger reached critical and he's seething to get out and harm the former vassal who aided in killing his parents.

"I was reborn by the ability of Life, and with this I became stronger in hiding; waiting for the day I would track you all down and kill you. But then it hit me," He began to pace again. "Why not let their own little friend kill them for me?" He stopped at Setzer lifting his head. "How'd you like her little dream world?"

Setzer yanked his head away and growled at him.

"Making fun of all you're little fears," A tight bitter laugh came out. "The girl does have a twisted mind don't you think? Woo whoop! Just like mine!" He shouted in the gambler's face, at that range Setzer tried to hit him but was restrained by the chains.

"Hoo hoo hoo so sad aren't you! Aaww and does he _like_ her?" He laughed insanely and turned his back to them.

Locke took this opportunity to reach his hand over to his glove and pull out his lockpick, he started in on the chains lockpad, but, it was too late. Kefka turned around and saw him.

"Uh-uh uuunh." He snapped it up out of his hand. "We can't have you escaping now can we? Not that it would matter if you did, see this...?" He pointed to a wire lining the chains. "Big surprise, hooked up toooooo...1000 bolts of electricity!" He pulled the lever shocking them all.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!" They cried and Kefka stopped.

"Now pretend that we turned it up on full power? Hmm, oh, I know," Returning to stand before Locke he hollars. "Pop! Goes the weasel!" He broke into an evil laugh. "And wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, this is not the best part, because Terra will die _too_."

"What are you gonna do to her?!" Setzer hissed.

"It doesn't matter becaaaause, you won't be around to see it."

"What are you...?" Celes began to ask but he was already about to show them.

Kefka's left eye fell out of his head and then his right revealing a white light in the back of them. He opened his mouth with the same light coming from it and the ground began to shake. Their eyes went wide with what happened next.

"Aaahh!"

In Miranda.

Terra's eyes flew open! "No...no, this can't happen; they can't be dead." She's breathless as though she'd been holding it all this time. "I have to go get them." She ran to the door on wobbling legs, but it didn't stop her from reaching the exit from town. "It's snowing... but where is the lightning coming from?"

The Esper girl looked at the sky and wondered for a second.

"How will I get there? How can I help them?" She thought outloud. Biting her bottom fingernail, she thinks. "It's dangerous, but, worth a try."

She ran out into the snow and to the cave near Miranda.

…..

Imperial Vector is alive with pain, screams, and laughter.

Kefka is laughing loud and long at the sight of them bleeding and dropping to the ground. "And now, the end." He said deeply raising a hand for the final attack.

"Hold it!"

"That voice?" Kefka turned around to see Terra standing at the door way. "Oh this is delicious; you found me all by yourself; our bond must be coming back." Kefka said walking down the stairs towards her.

"The only thing you're gonna bond with is _death,_ Kefka!" She was walking towards him as well.

"Ooooh, I'm shaking, what do you think you're going to do?" Kefka paused a few feet infront of her.

"This!" She flew backwards building up a ball of energy and Kefka laughed doing the same.

"If it's a showdown you want then that's what you're gonna get!"

And when the ball was big enough they yelled released the attacks. Absolute 0! Metron! The strongest ice and fire attacks collided into each other knocking them both away. When the smoke went up, they didn't wait for it to clear and they rushed at each other. Thunder punch! Terra ducked from the attack and shot back with Bolt 3. Kefka used an earthquake that she dodged with float. The thunder outside grew into her skin and she blasted Kefka on the top of his head.

"Aaaahhhhh!" Kefka screamed in pain patting at the smoking locks of hair.

"I feel so weeeeaaaaaa- ahahahahahahaaaa!" He broke into a scream and fired at her knocking her into the electric machine where she's fried!

"Aaaahhhh!" As this was happening she began to think. '_My friends mean so much to me, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Gua, Celes, Setzer. All my friends... ohhh, how could I let them down like this?'_ She kept saying to herself._ 'There has to be some way to save them; to save the world from his dark plans. But... Kefka is too strong.'_ She heard him laughing still only more high pitched_. 'I can't feel my body.. and my head hurts so...'_

In Mobliz.

Umaro and the Moogles have come out of hiding with the children to look into the sky.

"Looks bad." Umaro growled.

Kupo-po! "Terra?" Mog asked himself aloud, in wonder. "Look at that!" The head Moogle pointed saying.

Little white lights came floating out of the sky and down towards the base. The two babysitters looked at each other knowing the familiar feel in the air.

In the base.

The lights are projecting from her body, going into her friends. Edgar's hand twitched a little, then, the others began to move as well and in unison they stood up as if they were possessed; once again strong, if not stronger as they broke free of their chains. The rumbling stopped and Terra hit the ground.

"At last, she's dead!" Kefka crawled over to her quickly. "Now, full power is mine-" He was going to pick her up.

"Lay a single hand on her and you're dead where you kneel." A voice came.

"What-?" Kefka looked up to the cat walk where his torture dolls lay in wait for the slaughter. They walked up to the railing and leaped over the side landing in battle stance. Kefka growled in his throat. "Get them!"

A battle began and they were beyond ready.

Edgar clapped his hands together striking a Giga Volt into the air shocking three soldiers killing only one; Shadow twisted a soldiers arm, while swinging his left leg over his head and knocking him off his feet with the right leg, then he broke his arm pulling it when they hit the ground. Shadow back rolled away and threw five Ninja stars at a Templer Guard, killing him off.

Ten soldiers attacked at once and he threw an invisible edge disappearing from the crowd. Cyan used his quadra slice battling four at a time until they had fallen. Locke was fighting with his air lasset but the guard knocks it out of his hand with a laugh.

"Sir Locke, take this" Cyan said, throwing Locke a sword of his, but, when he caught it he swung it around in his left hand and tossed it back.

"Keep it, I've got these."

He ran over to the soldier and leaped into the air; as he came down he landed on the soldier's head with his feet like a block of cement but he was quite agile and sprung up off of him before again landing back down on the guard's shoulders. He jumped on his head after that two more times and back flipped off of him to land on the cool metal floor. The soldier stumbled into a wall and died due to a skull fracture.

It was becoming cold in the room as Celes blew in a snow storm with a blizzard spell, blasting three soldiers into a wall killing them from frost bite; but the Templer Guard cut her with his axe. "Ah." She held her cheek in pain.

The guard was coming down on her swinging like a mad man when he got blasted away by an Aura Bolt.

"Thanks." She said to Sabin.

He ran by her attacking a guard a kick boxing pummel; he then broke into his Fire Dance. Relm used her X-Zone sucking four soldiers into the warp hole. Gua used numb to make his fight easier and he attacked with bomb fire burning six soldiers and a Templer Guard.

Edgar cleared them from the floor and shot the place up with a gattling gun, some of the soldiers hid but others were killed in the firing. Setzer tossed a set of doom darts at four soldiers killing them slowly from the inside, but four more took their places he reached in for another weapon, but, couldn't find one so he grabbed a pouch of coins in the nearest pocket throwing them as though they were blades taking some damage on them, as he backed away from their advancing swords he built up a strong ball of poison and killed them.

As the fight went on Kefka grabbed Terra and dragged her up on the cat-walk for an escape

"Setzer!" Locke shouted pointing up to them.

He ran to the ladder and started to climb, Edgar lent a hand by slowing him down. He used his chainsaw and cut off the path way to the exit.

"Whoa!" Kefka said backing away trying to run in the other direction but Setzer swung himself over the railing in front of him.

"Games over, Kefka. Drop her or I'll fire." He said building up a pearl.

Kefka simply shrugged and tossed her over the railing; startled, Setzer's attack shot off in the wrong direction, he jumped over the railing to catch Terra. Locke looked at them like they were crazy.

A whirlwind tornado blew up catching them and putting them down gently on the floor. Setzer's misfire aimed in the direction Cyan stood in battle, but, he dodged it.

"Do be more careful, sir."

Setzer waved an apology before looking at Terra in his arms. He asked her. "Are you alright?" But she didn't move.

He placed her down on the floor and began to use a third level Cure. Locke stole one of Shadow's water edges and tossed it at two Templer Guards flushing them against the wall. Go-Go used a 7-Flush blasting some of the remaining soldiers and guards dead. They looked around waiting for more but there was just Kefka and two other men.

"You all think you're so brave with your peace and good will... ha! Well no more preaching, time for the ultimate battle with my newest creation; I think you'll really admire this one, Kingie, since your monkeys helped me build it in our alliance. Edgar's jaw tightened he knew what Kefka meant. Ultimate-X. The floor shook and rumbled as a large machine appeared from the darkness, blocking the lights from the ceiling.

"I believe it's been an honor knowing you, sirs" Cyan said seeing the giant machine.

"Rrrraaaaahhhhhhh!" It yelled down at them.

They didn't know what to do, this thing might not be hurt by magic. Then it him.

"Attack the head!" Edgar ordered, and without a moment's hesitation they began to fire all their attacks at once.

Looking out for them Locke used jump to get on top of it and he struck the head with Fire 4 melting the eye's detector shut. He spun around swinging at it's head knocking him off, but, Sabin caught him.

"Thanks." He said getting down.

"I'll stop it." Relm said making a quick sketch of the thing but it didn't work.

"It's too big." Shadow used his water edge knocking out a good amount of damage, Go-Go copied him and did the same.

"That's it, use ice attacks." Sabin said.

They all aimed at it together but it swung it's arms over at them brushing them against the wall.

"Ooof!" A glow of light built up in its mouth and shot at them, they ran for protection and just missed being blasted.

"You guys attack it while I use my runic blade to absorb it's energy." Celes readied herself to extract from it.

"Good idea." Cyan said and they got back up for battle.

The machine stomped nosily at them at they surrounded it firing at different times dodging the swinging arms, when it was ready to fire another pulse shot at them, Celes used her sword and took the energy blasting it back. Edgar's Delaberator came on checking the monsters stats. Strength 3045. Weak against water, ice, fire. Strong against pearl, thunder and wind.

"We need more power..." Edgar said to himself turning it off.

"How's about a whole storm?" That voice... Umaro! He and Mog walked into the fight and joined in with Snow attacks.

Umaro used his rage ring after bouncing off the wall spinning in a ball towards the machine knocking it to it's knees. Mog used his Snowman Jazz and Water Rondo. The machine shook in pain and began to fall they all summoned their powers together and used, Ultima! The monster was completely destroyed and crashed into a wall.

They all let up shouts and cheers that they did it, until a white light appeared and knocked them to the floor.

"You just don't know when to stay down. Do you?" Kefka said raising his hand for another blast, but a noise startled them all.

"Kefka... You've done all the damage you're gonna do for the rest of your life. Now _I'm_ going to be the victor in this game of yours." It was Terra and she was inside of Magitek armor.

"What is this?" Kefka said cocking his head at her with a smirk.

"I can't destroy you with magic, I know that now... So I'm going to beat you with your own worthless weapons." She charged the blaster up, but, Kefka just stood there smirking at her.

When she fired he jumped out of the way and she hit his soldiers instead. She quick turned and aimed at him, this time firing right away- knocking Kefka over the railing.

"Aaaahhhh!" He fell and landed on a sharp blade, sticking up from Ultimate-X. They were happy to see him melting into nothing but a plastic looking face and they all ran over to the armor to congratulate Terra.

"Oh no... you don't..." a strained voice came from out of no where.

_'I knew you wouldn't die so easily.'_ Terra thought revving up the machine again.

"Get a load of this kiddies!" Kefka eyes began to glow again and his skin had melted further down into the machine exhaling a powerful creature. "And now..." Kefka began. "My true Final Judgment."

"Still using those same old tricks Kefka?" Terra was saying. "It's time you learned some new ones."

The armor began to shift around and grow. Kefka wasn't waiting for a battle, he was ready to fire; but, by the time he had powered it up- what stood before him was untouchable.

"Now you'll taste _my_ revenge." She said.

"Neveeeerrrrrrrrrrr!" They blasted at each other full power the others have hidden from the battle to avoid getting in the way. Final Judgment.

The blast reached all the way up to the heavens coming down on Kefka, destroying him completely. He had sucked into a black hole of no return.

_'It's over, it's finally over.'_ Terra sighed.


	12. The Beginning of Anew

The Cast in order of appearance:

As they fled from Imperial Vector's base to Miranda, their spirits were lifted; but the question of what to do now was at mind.

Locke Cole:

A Professional treasure hunting, thief. Who searches the land for expensive Relic's of the past.

Age: 25

Birthday: November 24

Weight: 147 pounds

Height: 5' 9"

Blood Type: O

Hometown: Kohlingen

Likes: Maps

Dislikes: Mushrooms

Treasure: Bandana

Hobby: Napping in fields

_'Well, I guess it's back to the good old domestic life, trading this, borrowing that. It won't be the same though, I'm gonna miss these guys... Maybe I could make a schedule for myself to see everyone once in a while, then maybe things won't be so lonesome. And who knows, maybe someone might need some assistance in shop lift- I mean hunting down items.'_ He smiled to himself and sped up to get back into step with the others.

Sabin Rene Figaro:

Martial arts master and twin brother of Edgar. He left the castle not wanting position as King, when there father passed away. He trained and lived, up in the mountains.

Age: 27

Birthday: August 16th

Weight: 233 pounds

Height: 6' 3"

Blood Type: O

Hometown: Figaro Kingdom

Likes: Barbells

Dislikes: Anything weak

Treasure: A coin with two heads

Hobby: Martial Arts training

_'I should go back home?'_ Sabin thought blankly_. 'I mean I miss my bro' and thing's have gotten kinda dull without him in my life. Course that'll really slow my training down a lot,'_ He looked over at Edgar who was staring down at the ground as they walked. _'Wonder what he's thinking about?'_

Terra Bradford:

A mysterious young woman, who's part human and part Esper. Used by the Empire as a Magitek Knight. Born with the gift of magic...

Age: 18

Birthday: October 18th

Weight: 105 pounds

Height: 5' 7"

Blood Type: unknown

Hometown: The Esper world

Likes: Children

Dislikes: Crowded places

Treasure: A piece of shattered Magicite

Hobby: Playing with Moogles

_'Setzer... protected me back there... Why? Is there something there that he's not telling me about?'_ She wondered watching the back of his head._ 'I feel like things are finally going to be alright... Kefka is dead and all the magic is truly destroyed. Now I can be... a normal girl.'_

Gau:

A young wild boy found on the Veldt. He's kind of different from your average kid.

Age: 13

Birthday: April 5th

Weight: 169 pounds

Height: 5' 3"

Blood Type: B

Hometown: The Veldt

Likes: Things that shine

Dislikes: Clothes

Treasure: A teddy bear

Hobby: Hunting

_'Gau, sure glad this all over. Gua getting tired of fighting, wanna play with friend Relm now. She's fun, fun, fun, fun.'_ He galloped up to her side.

Edgar Roni Figaro:

King of Figaro and ruler of the kingdom and South. Considers himself a ladies man and is a true mechanical genius.

Age: 27

Birthday: August 16th

Weight: 169 pounds

Height: 6' 2"

Blood Type: O

Hometown: Figaro Castle

Likes: Ladies and weapons

Dislikes: Lectures

Treasure: A coin with two heads

Hobby: Flirting and making weapons

'...'

Celes Chere:

A Rune Knight, and former Imperial General, who was infused with magic as a child and trained to fight with the Empire.

Age: 18

Birthday: unknown

Weight: 127 pounds

Height: 5' 9"

Blood Type: A

Hometown: Vector

Likes: Music

Dislikes: Dressing girly

Treasure: Knowledge of magic

Hobby: Sharpening her sword

_'I still kinda wish deep down that Locke liked me more, but if he really just wants to be friends then that's alright with me, I guess. Besides, I might not have time for a boyfriend with the new job I might take up.'_ She smiled, content with her thoughts.

Relm Arrowny:

A young lady with the ability to paint beautiful pictures, and also dangerous ones. She's acts a bit mature for her age, but she never lost her youth.

Age: 10

Birthday: September 9th

Weight: 88 pounds

Height: 5'

Blood Type: B

Hometown: Thamasa

Likes: Pancakes with maple syrup, and cute things and painting

Dislikes: Caterpillars, scary people, nasty medicine

Treasure: A ribbon from her mother

Hobby: Art

_'The kid might not be too bright,'_ She thought when Gua got up beside her._ 'but I like him... too bad about grandpa. I sure am... gonna miss him...'_ She lowered her head._ 'But I guess this means I have to start growing up, and not relying on grandpa so much anymore.'_ She looked at Celes who smiled down at her.

Shadow:

Living in darkness no one knows much about the mysterious ninja, as far as the bad reputation he's been given, for being a sneaky, cold blooded, killer.

Age: Unknown

Birthday: Unknown

Weight: 145 pounds

Height: 5' 10"

Blood Type: Unknown

Hometown: Thamasa

Likes: Money

Dislikes: Dreams

Treasure: His Dog, Interceptor

Hobby: Throwing stars

'.…hm'

Cyan Garamonde:

A knight whose become king of Doma Castle, he is great with swords

but machines are another story. He's very loyal and very old-fashioned.

Age: 50

Birthday: January 3rd

Weight: 158 pounds

Height: 5' 10"

Blood Type: A

Hometown: Doma

Likes: tradition and History

Dislikes: Machines

Treasure: A watch with a family portrait

Hobby: Collecting old weapons

_'I'm glad that all my friends are ok, maybe now thing's can go back to normal, that I can put it al behind me and be at peace with what happened to Elaine and Owen.'_ He smiled at the thought of true peace of mind, and walked a little faster to the village.

Setzer Gabbiani:

A gambler with spirit and a lust for flying, as well as hitting the black jack tables. He's adventurous and owner of the fastest Airship.

Age: 27

Birthday: February 8th

Weight: 136 pounds

Height: 5' 9"

Blood Type: AB

Hometown: Kohlingen

Likes: Gambling, flying

Dislikes: People afraid to take a chance

Treasure: His air ship, the Black Jack

Hobby: Solitaire

_'I wonder if Terra would come with me to the skies?'_ He thought not wanting to glance back at her._ 'Who knows, perhaps we could hit it off.'_ He slowed his pace and fell into step beside her.

Mog:

A bright, powerful Moogle, that can actually speak English.

Age: 11

Birthday: May 11th

Weight: 94 pounds

Height: 4'

Blood Type: Unknown

Hometown: Narshe

Likes: People who pet him

Dislikes: When people touch his tail

Treasure: An amulet

Hobby: Dancing, singing

_'Wait until I tell the others how bravely I fought,'_ he boasted to himself. _'I'll remain a number one hero.'_

Umaro:

A Yeti, that will obey Mog and is a very and is a powerful opponent.

Age: 4

Birthday: September 9th

Weight: 436 pounds

Height: 6' 10"

Blood Type: Red

Hometown: Narshe caves

Likes: Bones

Dislikes: Caterpillars

Treasure: A bone club made from Behemoth's bone

Hobby: Carving bones

_'This time me gonna sleep longer through winter.'_ He thought.

Strago Magus:

A mage knight descendant, and Lore master.

Age: 70

Birthday: June 13th

Weight: 94 pounds

Height: 4' 1"

Blood Type: O

Hometown: Thamasa

Likes: Monsters

Dislikes: Being treated like an "old timer"

Treasure: Old books

Hobby: Reading, making costumes

Go-Go:

A copy cat, mimic who dresses from head to toe, disguising his true nature.

Age: Unknown

Birthday: Unknown

Weight: 132 pounds

Height: 5' 5"

Blood Type: Unknown

Hometown: Unknown

Likes: Unknown

Dislikes: Unknown

Treasure: Unknown

Hobby: Mimicking

'...'

**Epilogue months later…**

**Hey Locke,**

**Hey man how's the thievery, eh? Ha ha. Just kidding, how's the treasure hunting business, profitable? Well, I'm still in Tzen, hanging out- learning a whole line of new Blitzes that'll really shake up our next evil encounter.**

**I'm writing this during meditation, so I have to make it short before I lose my concentration and- Uh-oh to late, I gotta go for now. I'll write again when I'm exact on your next location okay? I'll see ya!**

**Your Buddy,**

**Sabin Figaro**

**p.s. I saw Setzer's ship two months ago; I think he was checking the place out, but, he didn't land. Wonder what the guy's up to?**

**Hi Relm,**

**It's me Gau. I am teached to write in sentenc now, sentences now. It's hard, but I work at it. Friend Terra is good at teach so, I can write to you. How are you? I am fine. Come and see me soon, I miss you.**

**Big hug friend Relm,**

**Gua**

**Hi Celes,**

**Sorry I had to leave you all alone like that, but, I have a lot to do if I'm gonna learn how to be independent and take care of myself. Guess what? Two weeks ago, I got a letter from Gua, he's doing good I think he said he wants me to visit Mobliz what a silly kid. But I'm gonna take him up on that offer, ya know with winter and all coming up... So how are you, what have you been up to? I sure miss you and the guys a lot, hopefully we'll all meet up again one day. It seems like so long ago when everything happened huh? Well I have to get going, still got a lot to do before the gallery opens; Owzer is opening one down here in Thamasa to show my art- I'll make tons of money. Has anyone been by the opera house at all? Let me know, see ya later Celes**

**Your old roommate,**

**Relm**

**Hello Cyan,**

**It's funny to write to you after what happened months ago, because I feel it would be more formal to just visit you, but, things were quiet so I thought I would write. How are you doing? Good, I hope. Mog said he's seen Locke a good few times at Narshe, and he joined them for dinner once- that must have been nice... Well I've gotten a new job at the opera house. I'm on stage now- not as a singer- I'm the person who announces the scores before the scenes open up. Well, before I really embarrass myself going on about Locke, I'm gonna end the letter... Maybe you could come see a show sometime, all expenses paid? Hope you do, good bye.**

**Sincerely,**

**Celes**

**Hey Edgar,**

**It's me, Terra. How are you doing your majesty? Last I heard you added new wings to the castle? It must look really good. I will come to see it sometime. Things are really good for me, I'm still teaching at Mobliz; the kids have gotten so big they hardly need me anymore. I thought I might go out and see some people, now. Gua still needs help with spelling, but other than that he's doing very well I think. I miss you and the others, and I mean this by heart I'm going to come and visit you guys. I myself am doing very well, and plan to move to another village. I'm not sure which one yet, any ideas? Celes wrote me a while back saying something about me seeing an opera, would you like to go with me? Write me soon, I can't wait to hear from you. Good bye, king Edgar.**

**With found wishes, my friend**

**Terra**

**Hey Sabin,**

**Don't say a word about my writing, you try to do it at this pace outdoors. But, how are you doing? Any good news, even if it's bad I'd love to know. I myself am splendid. I peeked in on Terra a few times, even wrote to her once, nothing back yet... Not that it helps with me moving around all the time. I saw Edgar at the castle last week and said hi, he's doing good if you haven't already known that. He showed me the newest addition to the castle. Wonder who it's for? So far I have made a lot of money with my casino, and they always seem to think I'm cheating them- is this the face of a man that would rig a game? I didn't very well think so. I'm going to ask Terra if- you know, she'll go out for something to eat with me sometime where as I've only watched from afar, her feelings may have changed- a carrier pigeon, one moment... It's from Terra! I'll have to fill you in later alright? See you from the skies.**

**Best of luck,**

**Setzer**

**Good day sir Setzer,**

**How is everything for you? The winter feels like a cold one coming, if ever thou feels things are getting too cold don't hesitate to come by, Doma would love to have you. And how are things with lady Terra? Have you two gotten along yet? I suppose that is personal business. Excuse me. Things here at the castle are running as they always have, smoothly. I am going on a holiday pretty soon, I'm going to visit another part of the world you know. I'll send you a letter. I would like to let you be the first to know that I have moved on with my life, I am now at peace with Elaine and Owen's deaths, I do keep their portrait forever on my wall but it will remain a pleasant reminder not a problem. I do hope you're doing as good as I am. And say hello for me to whomever thou sees. Good bye.**

**Sincerely,**

**Cyan**

**Hello Terra,**

**What a pleasant surprise that you wrote me, I was just about to write to Sabin myself, but how are you doing? I'm very well thank you. Running the Kingdom has become a joy rather than chore now; we're churning out a bunch more weapons and they're real beauties. I'll have to send you the blueprints someday. I have indeed added a new wing to the castle for a certain guest staying there now, but I'm guessing he'll fill you in when he writes. How are things with you and Setzer going? Have you two gotten together yet? If you don't mind my asking so; and to your invitation to the opera, I would be delighted to see anything with you my lady; after all, what are good friends for. I'll be seeing you another day, and good luck with your job teaching, tell Gua I said hello, and to keep at it. Writing isn't hard at all. Good bye my dear.**

**With love,**

**Edgar Figaro**

**Hey Terr'**

**Don't bother with the large writing, I can't get the hang of these ink and quill things. I'm no longer hanging out in the fields of South Figaro, I'm actually da da daan moving into the castle, yup. I have my own wing and everything- at least until I leave in the summer or spring. That pampered life isn't for me, no way!**

**I wrote to Edgar and the the guys not too long ago, all replied back, too. I notice I haven't gotten anything from you yet, you avoiding me, huh? Ha ha, that's ok, I'm writing to you right? I have traveled a good distance in the time we've been apart from everyone, and I found a mother load of relics in this cave the Empire used as a base... Sorry about that. Listen to this, I'm renting a boat to sail to another country to treasure hunt for all new things, pretty cool huh? Only problem with that plan is sea sickness, ugh. I've seen some of Relm's art work; she sent me a few and said that they were real treasure and you know what? The little A- was right. I'll talk to you another time, see ya around.**

**Enjoy the hair comb I've sent you, maybe you can wear it out someplace nice with someone special.**

**Locke**

**p.s. We heard you guys in the cave! *wink wink***

**Dear friends,**

**Hi. I'm writing this aboard of Setzer's ship; he just came by and picked me up one day. Celes I'll tell you all about it when we meet, cause guess what? We're coming to stay for Christmas!**

**I hope you guys are all packed up when we get there, I can't wait to see you again. I'm so glad that this all turned out ok, because I'd miss you all way too much to rest peacefully. I've found time though to start writing a book. It's about all the things we went through and we're all characters... I just have to say that, you're wonderful people and even better friends and I wouldn't wanna know anyone else if I had to do it all over again.**

**Edgar, with your smile that completes any good sentence.**

**Locke, with your mastery of not only picking locks but words of encouragement and care.**

**Sabin, your strength doesn't just show on the outside, it shows on the inside and I can tell it always has; stay at that strength.**

**Gua, I'll never forget the fun you brought to us with your spunk and chipper look at things. I know you might not know what that means but someday you will you're a very smart boy, and I'll see you in Mobliz again soon.**

**Cyan, where would life be without the good old traditions to it, like simply opening a door for someone man or woman; you'll always have a place with anyone you meet, I know this as truth. Your family has taught you more than love my friend, they taught you to believe and know you can be believed in.**

**Relm, your art shows more than it's beauty, it shows yours and you'll always be important in everyone's lives because you bring out the positive side in any situation; and Strago is always watching out for you- don't ever think you're alone.**

**Celes, you're a lovely woman. You always follow your heart and you have good judgment towards people, you can pick the good from the bad easily, well I know you never run into the bad. Your presence has to much good around it.**

**And Setzer, you bring us more than transportation, you bring us high spirits when things are looking bad; we'll always be grateful for everything you've done. You've brought the world to me. Thank you.**

**To all the others you're more important than you know, you fight bravely and remain some of our best friends in the world.**

**I love you guys and until we meet again. Good Days. And know that you can wake up and say that we're now our peaceful fantasy...**

**With a lot of love,**

**Terra**

**The End.**


End file.
